


From Our Shadows

by laissemoidanser



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Edgy Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Humor, Idiots in Love, M/M, Minor Character Death, Mpreg, Past Rape/Non-con, Post-Canon, Reunions, mentions of past rape
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-05-01 05:56:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 87,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14513994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laissemoidanser/pseuds/laissemoidanser
Summary: Jack scrambles out of the truck and unzips his jacket. He’s been driving for days on end and more than anything right now he wants a shower and a pillow to rest his head.  Autumn leaves are falling from the trees in their last soundless dance and suddenly Jack becomes acutely aware that it’s way too quiet. He freezes dead in his tracks, fingers still enclosed over the zipper halfway undone.He can smell it before he sees it.Death. The odor of blood and decay.How didheeven find this place?





	1. Close Encounters

**Author's Note:**

> That Retribution event got me right in the feels

 

***

 

The woods are tinged with splendid red colors of the setting sun when Jack is pulling up by his cabin. He kills the engine and lets out a heavy sigh before getting out - weary and tired and badly needing some time alone, away from everyone, away from the world.

Mostly, these days he shares a living space with Ana, although he prefers to work on his own. Even so, day by day he catches himself longing for a different kind of peace and quiet, and distance; he longs to have some rest at last. And thoughts of death visit him a bit more often than they probably should. To be precise, thoughts of one _particular_ death. The one that’s been occupying his mind for years, ever after his world had gone to hell and made an old vigilante out of him. 

Jack scrambles out of the truck and unzips his jacket. He’s been driving for days on end and more than anything right now he wants a shower and a pillow to rest his head.  Autumn leaves are falling from the trees in their last soundless dance and suddenly Jack becomes acutely aware that it’s way too quiet. He freezes dead in his tracks, fingers still enclosed over the zipper halfway undone.

He can smell it before he sees it. Death. The odor of blood and decay. 

How did _he_ even find this place?

But then again...Jack wasn’t exactly all that particular about covering his tracks.

He stiffs, clenches his teeth and starts making his way around the truck, towards the porch where he spots exactly what he’s feared… hoped… anticipated to see. He’s not even sure exactly what he feels anymore, not even sure if he feels anything at all and has no desire whatsoever to pry into this confused, clotted inner world of his. 

Reaper is seating on the porch in a crooked folding chair with his legs crossed, swaying gently back and forth. A single shotgun is resting in his lap and he’s stroking it lovingly, as if it were a pet, his sharp claws making a blood curdling clinking sound now and then. His head is tilted slightly as he patiently waits for his prey. 

When Jack appears in his field of vision he lets out a dark throaty chuckle filtered by his mask. 

“Home sweet home” he rasps, slightly tightening his grip around the weapon. He stops swaying but keeps his languid and seemingly relaxed posture. 

Instinctively, Jack is reaching for the gun holstered on his hip, but he vaguely realizes that he won’t be drawing it even if an opportunity arises. 

“Gonna shoot me in the ass again?” he asks briskly, trying to keep his voice steady and impassive. He walks up the steps of the porch and boldly proceeds to close the distance between them, never letting his nemesis out of sight. 

He gets too close, compelling Reaper to raise his shotgun and point it directly at Jack’s face. 

“No, Jackie, this time I’m gonna shoot to _kill_ you.”

Jack expected this but nevertheless the cruel determination in Reaper’s voice sends cold chill down his spine. He stares into the eye-slits of the mask and _nothing_ stares back at him, only dark shadows. He wishes he could see past that but he can’t.

“So…,” he says, wondering which word will be his last one. “I see…”

Jack bites his lower lip, his voice trembles a little. He closes his eyes but there’s an apparent hint of hesitation in Reaper’s movements and he can sense it even without actually seeing it.

It was to be expected. 

“This is going to be my _special_ treat today,” Reaper accentuates and his mocking tone sets Jack off.

Without realizing what he’s doing he bolts forward, grabbing for Reapers’ arm, and pulls him up, off the chair. His nemesis gasps in surprise but there’s no sound of a shot being fired although he’s still holding the shotgun.

Clad in a leather cloak and armor, Reaper is heavy enough and the force of inertia sends them both tumbling down onto a wooden floor covered in dust and dry papery leaves. 

They’re panting, helplessly struggling with each other for a few moments before Reaper takes a firm grip of Jack’s throat and pins him down. Ancient wooden planks creak dangerously under Jack. He fights back a little but suddenly he feels strength leaving him way too early, way too quickly. His heart start pounding madly, thrumming in his ears as he realizes that his strength is actually being drained out of him...flowing now into the dark slits in Reaper’s mask. There’s no escape for him.

But he knows the offender way too well. All the sparring sessions they used to have in the past and he still makes the same mistakes.

“Mmm, _delicious_! Just as I expected,” Reaper breathes out, practically delirious in his ecstatic contemplation of life leaving his most desired victim. 

Jack is still chocking, taken by surprise, but he manages to gather the last of remaining energy, angles his knee and delivers a merciless blow right between Reaper’s legs. 

Way too ecstatic.

The man outright cries out in a sudden jolt of pain, his whole body convulses and his choke-hold weakens at once. Taking the opportunity, Jack struggles free and flips them over. He straddles Reaper and, while he’s still recovering under him, goes straight for the damned mask, wishing more than anything to finally reveal his true face.

Reaper hisses, struggles, gripping Jack’s forearm with both his hands and stubbornly turning his face away, refusing to give up. But Jack’s fingers find their way towards the mask anyway, first sliding it off just a bit, and then pushing it all the way up.

What he sees beneath knocks him off his feet…

There’s no face, just a grayish shapeless moving mass. A single scarlet eye pops up out of it, fixating on Jack, then another one and another one. Jack shudders in disgust and jerks away from the creature which once probably used to be his friend.

He jolts back and then he’s being pushed back and knocked down into the floor as the thing lashes out at him. This time floorboards do give out and crack under him. Splinters pierce the skin of his back but he’s too shocked to take notice. His vision goes blurry and he struggles weakly, but what he sees, looming above, urges him to give up without even trying. A mass of eyes and teeth and tongues reaching down for him. A sudden pricking pain shoots through his right side as the creature’s razor sharp claws tear his jacket apart like paper and slash his skin open. Jack has time to pinpoint the moment when the form above him swings its arm, aiming to strike. He moves his head aside a little and a deathly blow lands inches away from his face. 

“It’s all because of _YOU_!!” the monster growls and strikes again. This time Jack doesn’t dodge and Reaper’s fist gets him in the jaw, knocking him right out. 

When he regains consciousness and opens his eyes again he’s genuinely surprised that he’s still alive. The room sways a little and he presses his fingers to his eyes, wondering if he’s just dreamed the entire horrid encounter. But as he attempts to sit up, pain blooms in the right side of his ribcage. Jack gasps and covers it with his hand just to discover that he’s naked from the waist up and that his wounds have been thoroughly bandaged; a red spot already bleeding through the roller. 

“You bastard...,” Jack spits out, rubbing his face. His right cheek is positively numb. 

After several fruitless attempts he finally manages to assume an awkward seating position, then scoots to the edge of the bed and looks around.

It’s early in the evening and golden rays of the sun are flooding his cabin because someone has forgotten to close the front door. Jack knows exactly who that ‘someone’ was.

He wonders how long he’s been out. Seems like a whole day at the very least. It’s warm outside and a soft breeze rustles through the leaves scattered on the ground, blowing them inside the cabin, whispering against the walls and scarce belongings hanging here and there. A whisper of mystery and a dream long gone.

To the right of the bed, closer to a single window, a shotgun lies forgotten, huge and deathly. It has been left behind, in the midst of shards from the broken mirror, its muzzle flashing in the golden rays. Jack can imagine how it was thrown at the mirror in a fit of anger, abandoned as its owner fled, weak, defeated, disappearing into the morning light in a cloud of black smoke, too lost and scared to face the truth. Deep inside still holding on to that lost dream.

Both of them are. 

***

Jack makes an effort to dress up and crawls back to bed, his body aching all over. He plants a biotic emitter on a nightstand and rests for a while as the pain subsidies. He waits. Waits through the day he knows not what for. Even at night he’s wide awake and although he stays in bed he’s sleepless, on guard.

Uneasily he starts at every suspicious sound outside the cabin, glancing at his rifle now and then and reaching out to touch its barrel, to make sure it’s still there, right by his bedside, waiting to jump into his hand as soon as the shadow returns to threaten him again.

But no one comes to him that night. Only dry foliage is whispering in the wind outside, shuffling along the porch. And suddenly Jack feels a stab of loneliness, a peculiar, somber sensation rising in his throat. He catches himself wondering if Reaper feels the same.

He’d agreed to always stay in touch with Ana for security considerations. They would normally exchange locations and discuss plans with each other. That is why Jack finds it only natural for her to start worrying after three days of him suddenly going missing. He’s not surprised when she calls him over the comm the day after the encounter but Jack only dismisses her concern, assuring her that he’s perfectly alright and that he has some personal business to take care of. He doesn’t elaborate what kind of business. For his part, he isn’t sure exactly what he’s still doing here, in his cabin, when it is clear that he should’ve left immediately after he was able to, he should’ve reported to Ana about what happened to him and they should’ve probably worked out some scheme together. Yet he stays and is losing sleep over he knows not what - waiting, waiting, _stubbornly…_ waiting. 

His wounds are almost healed now and in order to stay awake at night he moves to the only chair. It’s uncomfortable enough and it digs mercilessly into his joints each time he starts to doze off. 

On the third night, Reaper returns. He shows up in the light of the moon flooding through the open front door, in a whirl of smoke, like a ghostly apparition from a book of dark poetry.

Jack jumps up from his chair in an instant, knocking it off to the ground, and aims in on the dark figure. But as Reaper steps out of the smoke he raises both his hands as if demonstrating that he’s unarmed. 

“I’m only here to retrieve my shotgun,” he warns briskly. 

Jack relaxes his grip on the weapon a little, but keeps his guard anyway. He doesn’t trust the man clad in black.

 Yet it doesn’t prevent him from remembering what it was like to _touch_ him again. 

He didn’t even know how much he’d been missing it. The touch. Even though it was a death grip. Even though Gabriel is no longer human... somehow it makes no difference for Jack. Doesn’t factor out _the missing_.

“Thought you’ve got plenty of those,” he observes. 

“I do. But this one is special to me.”

He steps further into the room and Jack spots blood dripping steadily from his cloak and onto the floor. In the moonlight it seems black, like heating oil. Jack lowers his rifle completely as Reaper steals closer; his gait visibly strained although he’s trying not to show it. 

“Did you manage to get shot on the way here or what?”

“None of your business”

Jack chuckles grimly and outstretches his arm hesitantly while positioning the rifle over his right shoulder.

“Let me see,” he offers, surprised at his own words. But they escape past his lips before he even has a chance to think what he’s doing. 

“Go to hell,” the response follows.

“Fine.”

Reaper picks up his shotgun; right from the spot on the floor where he left it (Jack never touched it). Jack takes a cautious step closer but he points the shotgun at him in warning and defiance. 

Jack freezes for a second, tightening his grip on the rifle, but then he changes his mind all of a sudden and instead proceeds to move closer. Despite the muzzle of the gun staring directly at him he reaches out and brushes Reaper’s forearm. Reaper jolts as if meaning to shift away but as Jack’s fingers slide further he remains standing. His shoulder is injured and he’s visibly trembling, struggling to keep his posture.  When Jack closes the distance between them he seems to finally give up, lowers his arm and allows himself a tiny hiss of pain. He turns his masked face away and lets out a sigh of pretend exasperation when Jack puts his hand over the wound. 

“Would you please sit down?” Jack reasons, pointing at the chair where he’s spent most of the night.  “Let’s stop killing each other for just a couple of minutes, okay?”

Reluctantly, Reaper compiles.

Jack takes a step back and puts his rifle aside, against the wall. In a few agonizingly long seconds his guest does the same, concealing his shotgun under his cloak. Jack then fixes the chair for him and he sinks heavily into it.

Jack walks to his jacket hanging on the wall and unclasps another biotic emitter from it. He feels strange, nervous and elated at the same time, as if he were high on something. He’s forgotten the last time he felt this way, although he does a good job at concealing what’s going on inside of him. 

He approaches Reaper anxiously, prepared to be fooled, attacked at any moment. But the man doesn’t seem to be all that willing to do any of this. Jack sets up the emitter and its soft glow cheers up the gloomy room. When his touch returns to Reaper’s shoulder he stiffs, but soon relaxes. And Jack thinks that maybe he isn’t the only one who’s been missing things...

The fabric of the cloak disappears under his hand, evaporates into black smoke that slips through his fingers, intangible, revealing the shoulder, pale grayish skin broken by a bullet. Blood is oozing from the wound steadily, but slowly.

“Bullet went clean through the shoulder,” Reaper comments.

Now Jack’s hand comes in contact with the pale skin and it’s cold, so damn cold he actually wonders if he’s treating a corpse. Reaper shivers under his touch and, while Jack is applying medigel on his wound he can feel him getting warmer. He can literally see his skin flush. Reaper seems to be no less surprised by the fact although it’s hard to tell because of the mask. His body is extremely tense, leaning away from Jack.

As Jack bandages the wound he can’t help letting his eyes wonder over the exposed skin of Reaper’s neck, to where it is connected to the mask. He wants to tear the damn thing away and see for sure if there’s a monster or a human behind it. If it’s still Gabriel... He wants to lean down and kiss the column of his neck, his desire is close to instinct because it suddenly seems like most natural gesture, something he enjoyed doing for many years. He makes an effort to fight this impulse before he does something stupid. 

Yet, his hand lingers when he’s done, thumb caressing Reaper’s patched shoulder and Reaper lets him do it for a moment. That spark is still there, the connection between them. And the tension reaches its peak in a matter of seconds when they realize what their second encounter has already turned into. 

“Gabe...,” Jack starts saying, his voice quiet and tender, but his guest turns into a wraith that shoots for the door like a bat out of hell, fleeing from his touch, from his reach. 

“Damn you!” Jack spits out. 

For a while he remains standing in the middle of the now empty room, his heart racing, thrumming in his head. The soft glow of the emitter has extinguished, only the moonlight keeps him company and the woods - conveying to him a whisper of dark promises. 

***

“We’ll have to postpone our plan,” he tells Ana over the comm.

_“Is everything okay, Jack?”_

She sounds concerned and somewhat suspicious and Jack knows that he won’t be able to fool her for long; on this subject he doesn’t stand a chance. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Something else has come up. But I’ll deal with it.”

 _“I see,”_ Ana sounds even more skeptical now and Jack secretly wonders if she knows something. _“I trust you to deal with...whatever it is then. Or whoever it is.”_

“I...I have to go now, sorry.”

When the comm’s safely off Jack swipes a hand over his face and lets out a long sigh of embarrassment. Whatever happened to his palaver skills! 

Evening descends over the woods and this time the setting sun is blocked by a thin veil of rain clouds. The air is charged as if a thunderstorm were about to start and the wind is howling and wailing in violent, rippling outbursts, shaking the cabin. Jake is restless again. He paces about the room, then ventures into the kitchen and produces a bottle of whiskey from a cabinet. He pours himself a glass, gulps it down. Hot liquid soothes his strained nerves a little.

That’s the moment when he hears the so familiar swoosh outside the window. The front door is locked this time but the black smoke is sneaking its way through the cracks in the window frame. 

Reaper materializes in the close space of his cabin and for several moments there’s an awkward kind of uncertain silence. None of them seem to be able to find any excuses or explain the reason of this third encounter. There’s no hatred left to express, no more shotguns accidentally or purposefully left behind. Only the two of them and the ceaseless gravitational pull that seems to be always directing them towards each other. 

Hesitantly, in this silence Reaper takes off his mask and steps into the frail light of a single oil lamp burning on the table. For a second Jack is scared of the shadows lying heavily upon his face. But as the light dispels them he sees that his face is human and perfectly recognizable as Gabriel Reyes he remembers. He’s older, he’s gained new scars and there’re grey streaks in his beard. But, apart from red tinge in his eyes, he’s still the same Gabriel Jack once loved. 

He clears his throat. 

“You...want something to eat?” he suggests out of the blue.

“Eat?” Reaper repeats incredulously, as if he heard the word for the first time in his life and has no idea what it means. Jack himself is a little taken aback by the proposition he’s just made. Too late he remembers that there’s next to nothing in his kitchen because he hasn’t lived in the place for ages. 

“Yeah,” he replies slowly. “ _Eat_ ”

“Haven’t eaten anything since last spring,” Reaper observes, scratching the back of his head. 

“Oh…”

It’s autumn now and Jack assumes such a long time without food might have been a problem for a normal person. For a living person... once again cold chill washes over him. Gabriel is a walking ghost now. 

“I’d like to try though,” Gabriel says. 

“Well then, I’ll get us some sandwiches. But uh…, I forgot I don’t really have much. You wanna have a drink first?”

“Can’t see why not” 

Jack motions for Reaper to come in and as the man proceeds into his kitchen he marvels at how the mood between them has changed. From fist fighting to politeness. He chuckles at that. 

“What?” Reaper asks at once, flashing those red eyes at him. 

“Ah, never mind.”

In his kitchen the leather clad figure seems huge, impending, out of place. But Reaper’s step is light and graceful as he advances closer to where Jack stands. 

“How’s your shoulder?” Jack inquires. 

“I’ve been worse,” Gabriel shrugs.

Jack offers him a glass of whiskey and they drink it up, never taking their eyes off each other, checking for any signs of trickery or feign.

Simultaneously, they place the glasses down and then there’s that silence again - awkward and distressing. There’re too many words left unspoken but none of them wants to be the first to start talking. It’s way too painful, and they are not sure exactly what they’re doing and why. 

“Sit down, won’t you,” Jack says and Reaper obliges, eyeing the table skeptically. 

Jack opens the fridge and scans its contents for anything more or less edible. As he expected, there’s not much, barely enough for the two of them and by no means this can be called a proper dinner. But they manage even with sandwiches and Gabriel doesn’t seem to mind. This reminds Jack so much of their SEP days which sometimes were just about survival. Days when they used to support and help each other along the way, went through all the challenges together. Those were such simple times, and the happiest ones too.

They eat in silence and it seems that although Gabriel hasn’t tasted real food in a while his appetite is still perfectly intact. This observation pleases Jack and, stealing careful glances at Gabriel, secretly he discovers that he still cares for the man. He’s been refusing to admit it to himself for so long but right now it feels good. Really good. To allow himself to care.

“How’s your face?” Reaper asks him when he’s done with his sandwich.

Jack still can’t believe that he’s just sitting here, in his kitchen, casually talking to him with his hands folded awkwardly in his lap. Can this be true? Or is he hallucinating?

He brings his hand up to his cheek. He doesn’t really give a damn about his face anymore and up until this moment he hasn’t even checked his own wounds, he’s been too preoccupied with other things.

“You might’ve added a few more scars to my collection,” he notes dismissively.

He expects a chuckle from Reaper, a smug observation, but he’s silent instead. Once again, there’s that obvious tension building up between them.

“Gabriel…,” Jack begins, expecting a burst of anger that’s been suppressed for too long, but, as nothing happens, he goes on,

“I need you to know, that whatever happened, it was a setup”

“I know that,” Gabriel replies. “I know so much more than you think. Doesn’t change the fact that you left me behind. That you disappear and just left me to turn into this… _thing_. You don’t know what it’s like. To live with this. To wake up every morning like this.”

“Gabriel, you know I would never...”

“But you did.”

“They brainwashed you. Or at least they tried to. At least they succeeded in making you see it that way. Do you remember what happened to your friend Gérard? Now they want you to do the same to me. Huh, what a triumph that would be. As long as there’s that rift between us, your beloved Talon is flourishing.”

Gabriel lands a fist to the table, obviously furious now.

“Don’t say that to me! I hate Talon just as much as I used to! But you... _damn you_!! Whatever scores I’ve got to settle with you, those are deeply personal!”

“Why won’t you proceed with your plan then?? Why won’t you just strike me off that precious ‘list’ of yours once and for all?”

Now it’s Jack’s turn to get frustrated. Reaper growls at this observation.

“Aren’t you a bit over eager to let go off your sorry life? Just look at yourself! You’re fucking pathetic. I might reconsider my plans and watch you suffer through this misery instead. You ruined me, Jack. You ruined everything.”

“I didn’t choose this fate for you, Gabe. I didn’t choose this life. And I’ve always trusted you to believe me; I’ve always loved you-...”

Gabriel gets up to his feet abruptly and Jack feels like he’s choking on his own words, on his own feelings. Gabriel is right, it’s all entirely on him, and there’s just too much of that bubbled up tension between them. At some point, this bubble is going to burst, wounding the two of them irrevocably.

“I shouldn’t have come,” Gabriel says, and turns to leave; tongues of black smoke shaping up all around him, transforming him into a whirl of darkness.

“You shouldn’t have,” Jack observes weakly and hides his face in his hands as Reaper disappears.

This time, he remembers to close the door.

***

 

On the following day he wakes up early, packs his things, dresses casually and leaves…for the shopping mall about two hour drive away from the place where he’s currently stationed.

He stores on groceries, lots and lots of them, and when he gets back and walks up the porch, one of the bags breaks, its contents spilling all over the place. Jack puts the rest of the bags on the floor and just stands there for a moment, scratching the back of his head.

“Just what the fuck am I doing this for?” he mumbles to himself.

He finds an old rusty generator in the basement and fumbles with it through the evening until he finally manages to revive it somehow. He restores electricity in the cabin and plugs in his little personal communication station. When everything is done and complete, first thing he does is a private video call to Ana.  

It’s late in the night where she currently resides but she answers him at once.

“What happened to you?!” she exclaims as soon as she sees Jack’s bruised face. Oh, it feels so damn good to finally see her.

“It’s nothing, Ana, how are you doing?”

“I’m fine, but I’m really, really worried about you right now, Jack. Please, don’t disappear on me like that!”

“I promise I’ll try not to. I’m just calling you to say that…”

“That we’ll have to postpone our plan again?” she finishes for him, a cunning glint in her eye.

“Yeah…,” he affirms.

“Jack. Tell me what’s going on”

Her tone brooks no argument and Jack can’t keep it secret from her anymore. She’s the only person he can still rely on after all.

“It’s Gabriel, Ana,” he confesses, shaking his head and sighing deeply.

“I knew it,” she says.

“He appeared outta nowhere right by my place and I thought he was going to kill me,”

Jack remembers to keep from her the fact that he didn’t mind to be killed by Gabriel at that moment, that he even welcomed such a death to some extent. “But it didn’t happen. And he…, he just keeps coming back. Each time he does I think he’s come to reap my soul or something but it’s different, Ana, it’s different and I don’t know how to process it, how to…act around him…”

“I see,” she says, her voice tender, caring.

“Do you?” he asks staring at the screen, unaware of desperate hope written all over his face.

She sighs.

“You two have always been such a pain in the ass. So? That’s why you stayed and lit the whole place up? Brought it back to life?” she asks.

Jack looks over his shoulder and for the first time he sees that his cabin truly looks like a _living_ place, not just a temporary abandoned hangout he used to recuperate. Ana must have also noticed the table now piled up with groceries.

“I honestly don’t know what I’m doing here.”

“You’re doing everything you can, Jack. And that’s exactly what you should be doing,” Ana assures him in a soft voice. “Gabriel would’ve never abandoned you like this. Something happened to him, Jack. Something really bad. And if there’s still hope, if I interpret what you’re telling me correctly, you’re the only one who can help him cope with whatever he’s dealing with right now. He comes to you for a reason and you shouldn’t turn your back on him. Do you still love him?”

Jack is silent, looking down, and Ana doesn’t pressure him to answer.

“In these hard times, what we should do first of all is help the ones we love. That’s as much as we can do right now. But that’s what matters. All your missions, all your failed attempts to deal with Talon – you should put it aside.”

“But…”

“I know that you never listened to me, Jack, not really. You would always do things your way. But just this once. Ask yourself. What’s most important to you? I think you already know the answer although you’re not exactly aware of it.”

“I think I know what you mean.”

“It’s been too long for you too. Be careful.”

“Thank you.”

Ana nods.

“And our plan is still on the agenda! Stay in touch.”

 

***

 

But his guest is missing on the second day and the evening after that. To some extent, Jack feels relief, but he also has to admit that mostly what he feels is profound hurt. 

He spends another sleepless night, tossing and turning in bed and nursing the thought that he’s been made a fool. It was stupid and naïve of him to ever think that there is any hope, any point in all this. Gabriel is lost and there’s no way he can possibly bring him back. Ana’s advice was nice, felt like a breath of fresh air, but the two of them are no more than a couple of old dreamers who sometimes forget that the world has changed and moved on without them.

This conclusion seems to him most natural and reasonable and he’s about to accept the sad truth of it when he hears a knock on the door somewhere around six in the morning. 

Puzzled and sleepy, he shuffles to the door and opens it just to discover Gabriel standing on his threshold. He wears no mask although his battle attire still remains fully intact except that now he’s wearing a cloak of a different color. 

“Hey,” he says to Jack.

“Hey. Since when have you taken to knocking on people’s doors? For a moment there I thought it was a postman or something.” 

“I still got my manners, Jack. Even when it comes to you,” Reaper observes and Jack chuckles. _Ain’t that just their usual banter?_  

“Are you letting me in or not?” a somewhat wary question follows. It’s easier to read Reaper’s emotions without his mask on.

Purposefully, Jack hesitates a moment longer and then steps aside. Reaper glides in gracefully and almost soundlessly, making Jack wonder what dance classes the man might have been taking these past couple of years. A sharp comment is on the tip of his tongue but he stifles it, letting his eyes stare and study instead, a little bit longer than the bounds of propriety would probably allow. But then again, Jack has grown so awkward in these aspects he isn’t sure where those bounds begin and end exactly anymore. Gabriel has always been his sole love interest and he only hopes it’s the same for the other man. 

“I didn’t expect you to be back so soon,” he comments, following Gabriel who seems to be heading straight into the kitchen.

“Lately, I’ve discovered that I still got a taste for real food. And I can see that you’ve got plenty of it. Too much for an old single man who lives all alone in the woods. A shame to let all of it go to waste.”

Jack can’t help a smile that’s tugging at the corners of his lips. _Someone’s in the mood._  

“Well, since _you_ are here, go on, help yourself. You might even find a chocolate cake there.”

Gabriel pauses in his tracks by the table. 

“Is that so?” he asks, eyeing the cake in frank wonder. _Such a pleasing sight_ , Jack notes. 

“I know it is your favorite. Or should I say - it _was_ your favorite.”

Reaper doesn’t spare him as much as a glance, reaches his hand out and the steel glove evaporates into curling snakes of smoke, revealing the blackened skin of his arm, his clawed fingers. Jack lowers his gaze, feels guilt wash over him. But Gabriel doesn’t notice it; he reaches straight for the cake, takes a piece of it and puts it in his mouth, sighing with satisfaction, relishing the sweet taste.

“It still _is_ my favorite,” he remarks. “This one’s really good. Although you shouldn’t have left it open like this for the whole day.” 

“And you’re an expert in food department now too?” Jack joins him by the table and slices another piece of cake for Gabriel and one more for himself. The cake does taste good and he regrets it’s not very big in size. The two of them deal with it in a matter of minutes. And for those minutes it feels like nothing has happened between them, like things are still perfect as they used to be in the past. Just the two of them together, and a cake, and nothing but love and respect for each other in their hearts… It’s hard to believe that something like that could be breached so easily, could leave a wound so huge it would probably take them the rest of their lives to mend it if they ever try to. It would probably take Gabriel so much longer then Jack’s lifetime...

After they are done, Gabriel turns to him and asks out of the blue,

“Are you trying to woo me back with all that?”

For a moment Jack just stares at him in puzzlement, his blue eyes huge and he stutters a little when he answers,

“W-What?! No! No way! I’m just trying to be polite…”

He is too scared to open up his heart, too scared to be torn apart and spat upon by the demon he’s glimpsed at. His scars are still fresh and painful and he doesn’t want to get new ones, be it his body, or his soul…

Reaper lets out a throaty chuckle and starts walking away without saying a further word. 

“What you’re going already?” Jack mutters, still shaking a little, taken aback by the sudden question. What did he expect? Gabriel has never been particularly subtle.

“I’ve got nothing more to say to you,” Reaper throws at him and it feels like a proper slap in the face.

“Why are you doing this, Gabriel? What is this game you’re playing here?”

“I can ask the same of you,” Gabriel replies, stopping on his way out. “Why would you go to such lengths for me? You should ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish.”

Jack is silent. Because Reaper’s words have a fair amount of sense. 

“If you hate me so much, why would you accept all these efforts then?” he asks.

“Maybe because I like to watch you crumble like that...grasping at this delusion of yours.”

“Aren’t you the one deluded here?”

“We’re going in circles, Jack. We won’t reach any conclusion.”

“The hell we won’t. All that you’ve just said to me, I can say the same about you too, you know! You are the one taking pains and efforts. Damn, you’re coming back again and again and I wonder where you even spend your nights because there’s nothing for miles and miles around. Nothing but the goddamn woods! Just tell me what you need from me exactly that you’ve tracked me all the way here? Maybe the problem is that you still need _me_?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Morrison. I don’t. The day will come when I will kill you in your sleep. And that will be the end of it.” 

With this he disappears from Jack’s sight and into the gathering twilight. 

***

 

_Later that night Jack experiences something he hasn’t had in a while. He dreams. But it is not his usual nightmare about deaths and shots and explosions for which he is to blame. He dreams of Gabriel’s eyes. Of the first time he realized how beautiful they are._

_In this dream Gabriel is still by his side, sharing bed with him just like they used to back in their Overwatch days. His head rests on Jack’s pillow while Jack is watching him sleep. Gabriel is still young, although he’s already sporting several deep scars on his face. His features are relaxed, peaceful. The morning sun glimpses into the window of Jack’s quarters and Gabriel stirs in his sleep, his eyelids flutter, then open. First thing he does is look at Jack and Jack’s heart swells and thrills with warm and tender feeling which might be called love although they never really admitted it to each other._

_Gabriel’s eyes seem huge; they reflect universes and sunlight and turn all kinds of amber and hazel, bright sparks of affection dancing in them as he watches Jack watching him._

_“Your eyes are very...,” Jack whispers reaching out. But Gabriel disappears from his sight like a mirage in a desert._

He wakes up… 

…and sees a tall dark figure towering above him in the darkness. Jack nearly jumps out of his skin; his heart shudders violently and starts hammering madly against his ribcage as he slowly realizes that the figure in the dark is, in fact, Gabriel. Just a week ago this situation would most certainly mean death for him. But now, it feels different somehow.

He doesn’t remember how he fell asleep, probably all the sleepless nights have finally taken their toll. Jack rubs his face with the palm of his hand; sleepy eyes fixated on his night guest as he props himself up on one elbow.

Gabriel takes a step back as if he weren’t expecting Jack to wake up. He’s unarmed and quiet and Jack feels a bit bolder when he realizes that there’s no threat. At least, there’s no _immediate_ threat to his life.

“You are such a creep, you know that?” Jack mumbles, his voice groggy from sleep.

There’s a pause and they’re just looking at each other, their features outlined gently in the sweet moonlight. And then Jack shifts in bed, slowly moving aside so that there’s a bit of space left next to him.

Gabriel seems to be hesitating for a moment, but before long he steps closer and his attire suddenly dissolves in a cloud of black whirls which proceed to settle down on the floor while he steps out of them – almost naked in the bewitching light of the moon. It lends Jack a chance to catch a glimpse of his well-built, lithe body before Gabriel assumes a wraith form and closes the last of the distance just like that, practically spilling onto Jack’s bed, by his side, where he takes up his human shape again.

Jack doesn’t really know how to act around this, feels panicked and awkward, aware that he might have forgotten how to sleep with another person. His bed can hardly be called a double and the two of them barely fit on it, but manage somehow. Just like in the old SEP times when Gabriel used to visit Jack at nights and crawled onto his bunk to fool around while the rest of the soldiers were sleeping.

The sensation of Gabriel is that of ice cold body bumping into Jack’s. He’s so cold Jack wonders yet again if he’s alive at all. Instinctively, he wraps his arms around him in attempt to warm him up and the man scoots closer to him until his back is flat against Jack’s chest. Jack wraps his thighs around Gabriel’s too, and soon he finally feels the body beside him starting to warm up a little, to feel more like a living being rather than a dead one. The fact makes him sigh in a tremendous relief.

The sensation of Gabriel, so close to him, pressed into him, his breathing against his chest bring all Jack’s memories back to life, stirs the forgotten feelings and they start swirling inside his heart like a damn hurricane, like a tornado, nearly ripping him to pieces from the inside. It’s been so long, it’s been so long, _it’s been so long_

He doesn’t register how he ends up breathing it out loud, his voice a tender murmur. He leans in and plants a kiss to Gabriel nape, then another one and another one until he’s practically showering his bruised back with kisses.

“Forgive me,” he says, trembling all over. “Please, forgive me.”

There’s a lump forming in his throat and he feels like he’s about to choke on his own tears although his eyes remain dry. Gabriel is alive beside him, his skin hot and soft. He doesn’t respond to Jack’s quiet pleadings, but he takes his hand, and embraces it with both of his own, pressing it close to his chest. Jack places his palm against it, feeling a steady, slightly accelerated heartbeat. His own thrashes madly in his chest like a small steam engine and his head is spinning. He doesn’t smell blood and death anymore, there’s only the scent of Gabriel he’s grown so familiar with.

 _What is this? What have we done to you?_ Jack thinks.

“Jack…,” Gabriel whispers and his voice trails off, disappears in the whisper of the wind outside.

“Tss,” Jack soothes him. “Don’t talk. Stop.”

He quiets down soon, pressing his cheek into Gabriel’s back and curling up beside him. Gabriel’s still clutching at his hand with both of his own, his claws caressing tender skin ever so lightly, making Jack shiver. But that is more than he could ever hope for and Jack would never take advantage of Gabriel.

The moon is high in the sky but both of them can’t fall asleep for almost the whole night. Afraid to lose this quiet tender moment of reunion, too lost in contemplation of each other’s breathing, each other’s presence, the closeness of their now heated bodies.

When Jack wakes up in the morning Gabriel is gone, but there’s a scent of him still lingering on his pillow. Jack nuzzles into it and inhales deeply. He reaches down to discover that’s he’s painfully hard and chuckles to himself. Such a thing hasn’t happened to him in ages. His body’s still hot, lazy, skin bathed in the morning sunshine dripping honey-sweet rays all over him as he takes care of himself, thinking of Gabriel, thinking of how he opens up for him, lets him deeper in, of his own wet and slick readiness. His orgasm hits him soon and hard, leaving him light-headed and blissed out. He lies among the crumpled sheets for a long time that morning, hair tousled and a smile gracing his lips as he watches particles of gold dance by the window.  He might not know it by he looks younger, fresher than he has in years. He might not realize it, but he’s happy.

“I love you, you stupid bastard. I still love you.”

That much, he knows for sure.

 

 


	2. Unveiling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He feels world spinning around him, turning dark into light and desperation into hope again, lighting him up like a candle. He feels powerful and capable of anything, he feels like a true hero again, like a man on the right path after thousands of years of long and tiresome journey. He feels alive and he’s burning in the arms of the one who’s the source of all this. The one who gives him the strength and motive and reason, the one who has always belonged here, in his arms, and on his lips, and in his heart. The one who has fallen just to keep him going and Jack will do anything for him. 
> 
> Anything to bring him back from the prying hands of darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with all the R76 love :) 
> 
> Be warned - there are some sexy times ahead

 

**II. Unveiling**

 

On the following night Jack is waiting for him to come back but no longer in that festering combination of fear and uneasiness. He is waiting not for _Reaper_ but for _Gabriel_ and when he materializes in his arms again, Jack no longer feels awkward or uncertain. He presses his cheek against his broad back once more and allows himself to bask in that feeling of closeness a little longer, a little more thoroughly. Gabriel seems wonderfully alive wrapped in his arms. This time every muscle in his body goes somewhat taut and tense when Jack touches him and even that he remembers to cherish while they’re falling asleep, entangled together. 

He doesn’t even have a clue when exactly they slip from that cautious bed-sharing routine into something more daring.  Some part of him believes that this was bound to happen sooner rather than later – after all, the two of them have been deprived of each other for way too long.  All he manages to fathom, still half-asleep, is that it’s somewhere around the middle of the night when he’s suddenly awake to ardent stirring by his side.

“ _Hey_ ,” he whispers against the heated skin, not sure if Gabriel is doing this on purpose or in his sleep – rubbing against him in such a suggestive way.

In response Gabriel sighs but it comes out more like a tiny moan, and Jack can’t help but react to this, can’t help but reach his hands out reflexively and touch, easily slipping further into the ignited intimacy. 

Curious, his hands explore each bulging muscle, caress each sinuous curve, and Gabriel is pressing into him, arching his back for more contact, offering his body. Jack grows bolder, finally fully awake now; his hands roam lower, fingers sliding under the thin fabric of Gabriel’s pants and tugging at them impatiently.

In a matter of seconds Jack is pushing into him, realizing far too late that they have disregarded any preparation whatsoever. Gabriel doesn’t seem to mind though, keen and eager to discover what Jack has to offer him.

Jack is all over him - hesitating, panting and unsure until his hands slide over Gabriel’s belly and bump into his own hardness. Arousal shoots violently through his veins then and it takes him a great deal of effort to stop himself from just going at it and fuck Gabriel raw.  Instead he pulls out to his displeasured growl and proceeds to grind against the crack of his ass. Even that feels amazing and overwhelms his sharpened senses. Gabriel keeps arching into him, urging him on, his moans joining and echoing Jack’s. The silence of the room is now filled up with their ragged breathing.

Jack takes a grip of Gabriel’s hip and roughly slams their bodies together, eliciting a lewd sound of approval from him. He’s already close. He reaches around and swats Gabriel’s hand away, wraps his fingers around him instead and starts jerking him off. Gabriel is whimpering softly under him, his skin sweaty and hot. In his turn, he reaches back and all of a sudden Jack feels claws closing around his member. For a moment he panics but then relaxes and lets Gabriel do what he wants: guide him down and back into himself. 

“Damn you,” he whispers against his shoulder, utterly unable to resist this anymore. 

He pushes back inside, trying to be as gentle as possible and to keep his pace at the level of sparing half-thrusts. In less than a minute he clings to Gabriel and bites his shoulder, coming half buried inside of him. His mind goes blank and his vision blurry as the waves of pleasure tear mercilessly through him again and again. Through the haze of his own bliss he can feel Gabriel’s body going stiff; he can feel him spilling hotly all over his hand while he goes on stroking him.

Slowly, Jack recovers his senses, becomes aware of Gabriel’s heavy breathing by his side. He pulls out of him and shifts away, feeling guilty for some reason. Gabriel wouldn’t even turn around to face him and he’s awfully quiet.

For a moment Jack thinks that he will surely disappear now and will never return to him again. That Gabriel has somehow purposefully provoked him to do this only to laugh at his weakness. But Gabriel is silent, his breathing evens out gradually, and Jack quiets down soon as well, falling asleep to the silence of the night and to the calming, though strangely withdrawn, presence of the one he needs most. That physical closeness might not have brought them back together but it surely has broken the ice and changed things…for better or for worse.

 

***

 

In the morning Jack manages to pinpoint the exact moment when his night visitor wakes up. He stirs awake too as soon as he senses him abandoning his side. He hardly had a chance to get some proper sleep at night, too lost in whatever happened between them.

Was it wrong? Was it a mistake? Is it all over now?

Gabriel sits up soundlessly on the edge of the bed, his back turned towards Jack, his shoulders slumped. Jack studies the line of his spine, a landscape of scars covering his broad shoulders: some of those he knows so well, some of those – entirely new. He wants to learn the story behind each of them; he needs to know what Gabriel has been through, what he’s going through…

“Gabe…,”

Jack reaches out, traces the tips of his fingers across the dark grayish skin that seems to be paling as soon as it’s deprived of touch. Gabriel flinches a little; unaware that Jack was awake all this time. He half-turns his face to steal a glance at Jack before turning away again. Jack can see him sigh, hang his head a little lower as his fingers trail the line of his back. His touch is light and soon he withdraws his hand, afraid it might not be pleasant or welcome right now. Jack’s face is stern, his brows furrowed as he waits for whatever he might have to hear.

“I’m afraid, Jack,” Gabriel mutters, his voice coming out almost inaudible at first. He rubs his upper arms as if he’s cold or unsure of himself, making Jack crave to move closer, to wrap his arms around the exposed and vulnerable form in front of him.

“Of what?” he asks warily.

 “That if I kill you, I might have nothing left, and I’ll be alone...forever. Like _this_.”

Jack looks away, biting his lip, the corners of his eyes suddenly stingy with tears. That’s it. He’s grown old and way too sentimental. Or is it just Gabriel?

“Amelie says she doesn’t feel a thing,” Gabriel goes on, shaking his head. “Wish I didn’t too.”

“Can you…? Still feel anything?”

Gabriel ponders his question for a moment and then nods silently.

“What do you think it’s bad to feel?” Jack asks him tenderly, propping himself up on one elbow and reaching out to touch him again. Gabriel lets out a quiet needy sigh at the contact.

“No,” he replies, sniffling. And after a pause he continues,

“There’s a special treatment you receive as soon as you join Talon. That is, if they deem you qualified enough. You have to learn to subdue your feelings, your… emotions. If that gets in the way, you’re as good as dead.”

Jack is all ears now, listening to him intently. Any information he might provide on Talon can be crucial for those Overwatch members who are still out there. He hates to admit that rational part of him tuning in so easily, but he can’t help it.

“I would have made a much better project of theirs if I didn’t let _feelings_ get in the way...would’ve been so much better at accomplishing my mission.”

“Which is…?”

Gabriel looks at him over his shoulder and narrows his eyes, their glint changes from sad to predatory in a matter of seconds.

“I’ve to go now,” he concludes, getting up to his feet.

Jack feels his heart sink.

 “Gabe. Stay,” he says, hating the thought of being abandoned again for god knows how long. “Please.”

Gabriel is already half way done with dressing up, his attire enfolding his body on its own accord, and now he’s deftly adjusting bullets strap to his thigh. He seems in a hurry to leave.

“Can’t stay,” he responds flatly. “They’re gonna notice my absence sooner or later and they’re gonna suspect things.”

Jack sits up in bed, watching him armor up. He looks helpless.

“So that’s why you’re always disappearing on me like that?”

“Yes.”

“You’re on the mission here…?”

“Yes.”

“If they told you to kill me for good, few more hours won’t really change anything, Gabriel,” Jack says.

Gabriel stops in his tracks and chances a glance at Jack; the look in his eyes is sad and full of bitterness.

“They _ordered_ you to kill me, didn’t they? To prove that you can be trusted. That’s why you came here in the first place?”

Gabriel is silent but he seems to have completely forgotten about his unsuccessful attempt to flee.

“You came here, so determined to _kill_ me. And I thought…I thought that, maybe this time…”

 Gabriel takes a step closer, his eyes are on Jack.

“I didn’t,” he counters abruptly. “Neither this time, nor that time back in Egypt. I came to _warn_ you, damn it. And you just keep poking your nose in things which are too complicated for you to handle right now.”

“But it doesn’t change the fact that you _attempted to kill_ …”

“They’ve been ordering to get rid of you and your friends for a while. I told them I would take care of that and they entrusted this mission with me. That’s the only reason your stupid ass is even alive right now. I wanted to kill you alright. Yet I would never do that. But _this_ can’t go on forever. The situation might be getting out of my hands. I just didn’t…don’t think I can handle it on my own anymore. It’s too much, it’s too much…”

Jack takes him by the gauntleted hand and tugs gently until Gabriel gives in and allows him to pull him back onto the bed.

“You’re messed up.”

“I might be getting too carried away by this…,” Gabriel says as he straddles Jack, as Jack’s hands find their way to explore his thighs clad in soft leather. “I might be getting too into that “reaper” persona. And one day Talon might get what they want after all, Jack, because I might lose it and truly become one with _him_ ”.

Jack’s hands move up to explore his chest, the tense muscles of his shoulders and his arms, soothing him, calming him down.

“Now that I saw you I won’t let that happen,” Jack assures him, stretching his neck to reach up and plant a kiss on Gabriel’s chin. “We will find the way, I promise you. We will find the way to get to Talon.”

Gabriel wraps his arms around Jack’s shoulders then, tilts his head and lets Jack kiss him. He moans deeply when their lips finally meet and bites Jack’s lower lip tenderly.

“I missed this so much you know,” he admits, inhaling noisily as they pull back, his gaze ghosting over Jack – a merciless reminder of the dream he had the previous night. It makes Jack feel ecstatic and aroused like he hasn’t been in years and when Gabriel starts grinding against him he thinks he is about to lose his goddamn mind. “I miss you.”

Gabriel’s strong arms lock tighter around him and Jack kisses him again, ravishing his mouth and moaning obscenely only to hear Gabriel echoing him, only to feel him clinging closer.

“Damn it, Gabe,” he whispers breathlessly, breaking away from the needy kiss and proceeding to gently mouth the column of Gabriel’s neck, his collarbone, that special spot under his ear – he remembers how it makes him weak in the knees. He smiles at the realization that he still knows all of his little weaknesses, at the realization that he still is able to make him moan, to make him flush like that. To persuade him to stay and give a chance to make things right. To give Jack a chance to prove that he still matters to him more than anything else in this world.  

“I will make things right,” he promises between their sloppy kisses, speaking his mind to him. “I will make things right for you. Gabe.”   

Gabriel nods and kisses him fervently again, his claws mussing Jack’s hair, his body trembling in Jack’s arms and Jack realizes with sudden lucidity that he’s close, practically rutting against Jack’s thigh now, hot and rock hard under his pants. That he himself is about to come when Gabriel’s claws come in contact with his member, when he wraps his fingers around him and starts stroking him languidly.

“Come on,” Jack nudges him, pulling away a little. He tugs impatiently at Gabriel’s pants and when the man gets his clue and starts undoing them he reaches for the bag in the nightstand where he keeps the newly bought bottle of lube. Whatever urged him to buy it few days prior he thanks all the gods now that he did.

“You uh…sure you wanna do this?” he asks Gabriel clumsily, holding the bottle in confusion.

“Yes, yes,” Gabriel finally gets rid of his pants and shifts closer to Jack again. He presses his forehead to Jack’s cheek and closes his own hand around the bottle, guiding their hands down, between Jack’s legs.

“Let’s do it. You seem to still remember how, old man.”

They both chuckle at this observation.

“Hey! I’m not the one all breathless here,” Jack smugly retorts but soon he’s too preoccupied with watching Gabriel gracefully positioning himself over his lube-coated dick and sinking down onto it. He thinks he might be seeing stars, overwhelmed by his tightness and his heat, by the sight of his own hardness bobbing heavily between his legs. Jack throws his head back and moans when Gabriel takes him in to the hilt. Gabriel’s clawed hands are back on his shoulders, persistently bringing him back to reality.

When Jack looks at him again, his gaze is warm, his eyes perfectly hazel.

“Are you going to just sit and watch or are you going to take some action here?” he rasps somewhat impatiently in a voice so familiar.

“You feel so damn good,” Jack pants weakly as he places his hands on Gabriel’s hips and start rocking into him gently, canting his own hips to find a better angle.

“I hope I do,” Gabriel tells him, finding purchase in his shoulders, meeting him half way until Jack picks up a merciless pace and starts thrusting up into him, determined to bring him over the edge.

Gabriel’s brows furrow in a pained expression of pleasure as he tries to keep pace and to withhold his orgasm, but Jack wraps his arm around his waist, making him arch as he hits just the right spot inside of him over and over again. When he encloses his fingers around Gabriel’s slick hardness, the claws sink into his shoulders, making him hiss in pain, and Gabriel cries out softly, coming all over him, clenching around him and whining quietly as Jack proceeds to fuck him relentlessly.

He doesn’t ease the grip of his claws over Jack’s skin, leans down and whispers in Jack’s ear,

“You and your fucking stamina. Come on. _Give it to me_.”

Jack squeezes his asscheeks, spreads them apart to fuck him harder. The mix of pleasure and pain drives him wild and Gabriel heatedly whispering obscene nonsense in his ear is all it takes. Gabriel is right, he’s got an exceptional stamina and back in the day he could fuck him for hours on end. But today is not that case. It’s been too long and he’s not young anymore. He revels in the last few thrusts, pulling out almost completely and easily slamming back into Gabriel before his body goes stiff, shaking as he reaches his climax, orgasm washing over him in waves of white hot fire. He’s coming buried deep inside of him, to the sound of relentless encouragements he whispers in his ear as he cants his hips to allow Jack a better access.

Jack recovers slowly, entangled with Gabriel, hot, sticky and spent in the embrace of his strong arms.

“This wasn’t bad,” he says smugly, blissed out.

“Yeah, it wasn’t bad,” Gabriel replies, fire still dancing in his eyes.

“Come here,” Jack pulls him in and plants gentle wet kisses on his lips. He then licks them and pries his way further, sliding his tongue into Gabriel’s mouth as soon as lets him.

He feels world spinning around him, turning dark into light and desperation into hope again, lighting him up like a candle. He feels powerful and capable of anything, he feels like a true hero again, like a man on the right path after thousands of years of long and tiresome journey. He feels alive and he’s burning in the arms of the one who’s the source of all this. The one who gives him the strength and motive and reason, the one who has always belonged here, in his arms, and on his lips, and in his heart. The one who has fallen just to keep him going and Jack will do anything for him.

Anything to bring him back from the prying hands of darkness.

***

 

Gabriel leaves soon after and Jack doesn’t protest, aware now that he has to, otherwise he might get himself into some real trouble. But before that the two of them spend several quiet moments in the afterglow, whispering softly to each other. There are a lot of things Jack wishes to say to Gabriel but instead they talk about Talon. Gabriel doesn’t actually reveal any details to him but they talk about possible next steps together, skim together and it’s as close to their past as they can get right now. It feels great to make plans, to look for some perspective in all this while holding Gabriel’s hand. 

“Will you come back?” Jack asks uncertainly, watching Gabriel dress up and get ready to leave. 

He scoots closer to the edge of the bed on his knees, still entangled in the crumpled sheets, clutching at the corner of the blanket. His hair still tousled and there’s that dismal expression in his blue eyes, in the creak of his eyebrows and in the corners of his downturned mouth. 

Reaper huffs a low laugh at the sight of him. 

He doesn’t get a reply; the gauntleted sharp claws close over his chin instead, turning his face upwards. Reaper’s face is masked once again and as Jack stares into the eyeholes, he thumbs at his mouth, tracing the line of his lips tenderly with a razor sharp claw. His touch lingers there long after he is gone, long after he assumes wraith form and disappears like an illusion, the sweetest illusion Jack’s ever had.

But this illusion also prompts him to act, gives him a newly found purpose and charges him with determination. 

He leaves the cabin soon after Gabriel too. Dresses up in his full battle attire and drives all the way back to the city to finally see Ana. It’s something they discussed with Gabriel that gave him an idea of a new plan, new opportunity, and he can’t wait to share it with her. This time he doesn’t even notice the long way, hours fly right past him as he’s relieving the night they had over and over again. The fresh memories of Gabriel melting in his arms fill his heart with warmth, making it swell and throb in his chest. He feels like he’s not just moving toward his and Ana’s hideout, but flying at the speed of sound, nearly euphoric.

Ana lounges in a tattered chair in their temporary quarters which are located in an abandoned half-ruined observatory hall. The room is almost empty except for the table piled up with various tracking devices and computers. There’s also a single glassless window with Jacks’ meager dwelling in a dusty corner by it.

He chuckles softly to himself at the sight of it, only now realizing that _this_ has actually been his life these past few years. Usually Ana doesn’t spend much time in this hall but in his absence she seems to have attributed some new habits. Smoking seems to be among them. The smell of cigarettes sends Jack into a nasty fit of coughing and he waves his hand in front of his face angrily in an attempt to dispel the smoke. 

“Well look what the cat dragged in,” Ana observes ironically although Jack is sure that she’s been tracking him ever since he’s crossed past his threshold in the woods. “Sorry, I’ve got a little too comfortable without you here.” 

“Damn it, Ana. What have you been up to?” he wonders, reaching for a vacant chair by the table. He rolls it closer to her and slumps into it. 

“I got us some new intel that’s what I’ve been up to. _Work_. For the most part. Unlike you,” she remarks, puffing at the cigarette and then pointing it in his direction. 

“I was working too,” Jack retorts in weak protest, looking away and scratching his temple. “You could say that.”

“Or is that so?” Ana inquires. She plants both of her feet firmly on the ground and rolls her chair closer. “So? What you’ve got?” 

He doesn’t reply, still looking away somewhat guiltily but there’s that stupid secretive little smile tugging at his lips and he can’t help it. It’s met by Ana’s good natured chuckle. 

“I see,” she muses cunningly. “You’ve got one of Talon’s strongest operatives to our side. That would double our chances.”

“Can’t say I actually got him to our side. More like he wasn’t part of Talon to begin with, it seems.”

“So he’s infiltrating them?”

Jack shrugs.

“Can’t say that he is. He is very...complicated. It’s hard to...I can’t see what’s going on in his head you know. Seems like I can’t get through to him completely. He just wouldn’t let me.”

“You should be careful around him,” Ana warns him, her face suddenly serious and stern. “We don’t know what his intentions might be yet.” 

“Weren’t you the one telling me to take care of the ones I love?”

“That’s right. But something _is_ wrong about Gabriel, Jack. For all we know, he might be pursuing his own objectives with us. Talon has ways of turning people into complete maniacs. Even the best of us. You of all people should know about that. Stay on your guard. Care. But be ware of his words and his actions for the sake of our future,” she says touching a finger to her temple as if to remind him to keep both eyes open. “Jack?”

Jack glances up at her, her fragile silhouette outlined by the bright sunlight streaming freely through the window behind her. 

Doubled chances? Future of Overwatch?

He looks down at his hands and thinks of Gabriel’s eyes again. He finds himself falling, falling completely and irrevocably beyond the notion of noble ideas and intentions to save Overwatch or to save the world. If there’s nothing but a trap of darkness and betrayal behind those eyes, he would readily fall right into it, even if it meant turning his back on whatever bright future _these_ people are still hoping for. If what Ana warns him about is true, then he got lost too, back in those woods, and there’s no way back for him now. 

“Jack? You’re awfully quiet today.”

“It’s just that...I...”

“Don’t make excuses. I understand how difficult it is for you.”

“I might be making a grave mistake here,” Jack shakes his head. 

“He isn’t lost completely though, is he?”

“Doesn’t seem to be.”

“He’s strong. Very strong. It’s not easy to break someone like him.” 

“Yeah,” Jack breathes out, feeling like he’s been knocked back down to earth from whatever dreams he might have been clinging to. 

He can deal with bands of criminals; he can deal with Talon’s killers, operatives and highest ranks. But he can’t deal with Gabriel Reyes. This game would be lost for him even before it started. If this is what Talon wants then whatever hopes his people might be holding on to - shouldn’t be entrusted with him anymore. 

Jack walks through the city later that day with his head hang low, with thoughts weighing heavily upon his mind. He doesn’t belong here, in the light of the day. Come to think of it, he has turned into a “Gabriel” as he remembers him just before the fall of Overwatch. He isn’t sure why this change happened in him. Maybe he wanted Gabriel back so much that, unconditionally, he started to turn into him instead?  Jack stops and looks up to the skies through the dusty haze of the streets he’s mindlessly wandering.

And what he got? Is he _a Gabriel_? Or is he _a shadow_? But then again, what difference does it make for him right now?

Instead of answers Jack registers only numbness in his chest, the persistent indifference and blunt anger at himself, at his life and at whatever it has turned into. He’s tired of playing games and of playing a hero; he no longer needs it, no longer needs anything at all. Jack turns his face away from the sky and in the direction of the woods.

His heart longs to get a move on. To retreat back into the welcoming embrace of darkness. But he also has a mission to accomplish. And this mission starts, first and foremost, from figuring things out, from making the first step. A newly born feeling is blooming within his heart but his mind is heavy and yet again he wonders why there’s never anything certain about this world.

_Whatever you’re truly up to, Gabriel Reyes?_

***

 

He’s tired and worn out when he gets back to the cabin. He doesn’t even care what time of the day it might be, only vaguely aware that it has gotten dark once again somewhere along the way. He takes off his clothes and heads into a narrow adjacent shower room. A soothing stream of water brings him back into reality somehow. Jack leans his elbow against the tiled wall, closes his eyes and allows himself to relax a little.

His hands are rubbing soap over his body, fingers chasing soap suds down, and when he brushes the not completely healed wound below his chest he sighs in pain. But also in pleasure. Jack bites his thumb and touches the wound again - purposefully this time. He thinks about Gabriel’s claws ghosting over his skin, trailing lower.

His blue eyes suddenly flutter wide open; his gaze travels in the direction of the room. Jack turns the water stream off and steps out of the stall, grabbing a bath towel and wrapping it around his waist on the way. He steps into the dark space and pads towards his rifle, touches its barrel mindlessly in a gesture he’s grown quite accustomed to within a course of the last 6-8 years. A crooked smile reappears on his face as he then proceeds towards the bed, slowly undoing the towel, and crawls onto it completely naked. There’s not a sound in the dark except for some bird of prey hooting in the distance and the occasional squeak of the roof cooling down after a long and rather sunny day.

Minutes past one by one and soon Jack kicks the blanket off and discards it aside entirely, partly because his skin feels hot and partly because he’s been aware for a while now that he’s not alone in the cabin. He trails his fingers slowly down his chest and his belly, down his abdomen to reach between his legs and take himself in hand. He manages only a few strokes before there’s a familiar whooshing sound in the dark and a stream of black smoke settles over his body.

“You bastard,” Jack breathes out, glad that he’s finally lured his stalker out. He wants to say something else but the smoke wraps around his hardening cock and suddenly becomes more substantial, more tangible. Jack moans instead and arches his back towards the source of the touch although he can’t pinpoint one. Two more smoky tongues reach up his body, prickling his skin with a fantastically real sensation as they wrap around his nipples, start playing with them, teasing. The one stroking him down below squeezes a little harder, goes on a little rougher and reaches further down to wrap around all of his girth. Jack throws his head back onto the pillow and moans louder, spreading his legs for the unseen pleasurer to get a better access to him. His cheeks are burning hotly when some part of his brain attempts to analyze the situation.

More tongues reach out, swirling about him, drawing wanton sounds out of him as he writhes in the darkness.

“Ahh…n-need to touch you…,” he groans, lost in pleasure, reaching out but grabbing at nothing. “Show yourself.”

After few more strokes that nearly bring him over the edge, Gabriel obliges him and reveals himself, materializing right above Jack. He’s got no clothes on and Jack’s hands reach up at once to feel all the skin exposed to him. At first he’s cold to the touch, just as expected.

“How long have you been here, mh?” Jack asks him as Gabriel showers his face with feathery kisses.

“Long enough,” he replies, and their lips lock together.

“Enough for what?” Jack manages to ask as they break apart for a second to take a breath.

“See all of you…”

“Pervert”

“Look who’s talking. The one getting off to a bunch of smoke”

Jack is too lost to keep up the banter this time. He’s fired up and panting under Gabriel, his hardness bumping deliciously into the man’s thick thighs. He wraps his legs around Gabriel’s form, nearly begs of him,

“Fuck me, will you?”

Gabriel smiles at him wickedly, red eyes flashing in the dark like those of a wolf about to tear its prey apart.

“No,” he replies, chuckling darkly. He leans to Jack and whispers in his ear,

“ _You_. You do _me_ instead. How bout that?”

Jack moans at that, bites his lower lip and cards his fingers through his hair, trying to concentrate, to think. He covers half of his face with the palm of his hand, looks up into Gabriel’s eyes. He smiles.

“So greedy,” he scorns him softly. He looks delicious, flushed and disheveled and perfectly fuckable, but Gabriel doesn’t take the opportunity.

“Yeah,” he muses. “And hungry. For _you_.”

“Ah, goddammit,” Jack curses quietly. He scrambles from under Gabriel then, fighting with his own limbs that have gone numb and way too pliant.

“How do you want me?” Gabriel asks him eagerly, sinuously arching his back, and Jack finds himself transfixed by the lines of his lithe body.

“Just as you’re now,” he admits, and, after a moment of hesitation, he adds, “… _babe_.”

Gabriel laughs at that and it’s so good to see him smile.

“I _hated_ when you called me that, you know,” he scoffs.

“Yeah, but I called you that anyway,” Jack scoffs back, producing a bottle of lube from the nightstand. He moves closer to Gabriel and plants a kiss to his shoulder. “Because you _are_.”

It somewhat bothers him that Gabriel talks about _them_ in past tense but he’s also too preoccupied and aroused to dwell on that too much.

He rises up on his knees and scoots over to Gabriel from behind. He leans down to him, finding purchase in his hips and proceeds to kiss his back, shifting lower each time, making him arch in anticipation.

“I also know what you like,” he whispers, planting the last wet kiss just below his tailbone. “I hope that hasn’t changed.”

“What?” Gabriel asks him breathlessly, looking back at him over the shoulder.

Jack smiles crookedly, takes a solid hold of his hips and his fingers spread Gabriel’s asscheeks apart, impelling him to move his thighs further apart as well. Having gotten the clue of what’s to come he arches his back more, presenting himself to Jack.

“Yeah _hhhn_ …,” he breathes out, his sigh breaking into a lengthy moan when Jack bends down and swipes his tongue over his entrance.

“Yeah?”

“ _Please_ , Jackie.”

“Now that you ask so nicely.”

And Jack pleases him, licking him and lapping at him and teasing him mercilessly by inserting his tongue inside of him, deeper and deeper each time until Gabriel is a whimpering mess, until his body is contracting over Jack’s tongue, demanding more. Jack swipes his tongue lower, to his balls, and Gabriel cries out in pleasure, his thighs trembling all over.

Jack wonders at how he still knows him so perfectly, how easily they fit together even after years apart. The fact that Gabriel isn’t afraid to let his guard down in front of him, to be so vulnerable for him…that alone speaks of something. He also wonders at the scars all over Gabriel’s body. He registers them only now that he’s in such a close contact with his skin. White stripes cover his once smooth thighs and his rear and Jack keeps tracing them absent-mindedly, wondering what might have caused them.

He pops the bottle of lube open and slides one slicked finger into Gabriel’s entrance. He reacts by rocking back on it urgently, practically fucking himself while Jack effortlessly adds two more fingers.

“Are you ready for me, babe?” he moans in Gabriel’s ear, rubbing his leaking length against him.

Gabriel only nods and whines louder, unable to form a coherent reply. Jacks pulls his fingers out and then slides them back in deep one more time to make sure he still remembers correctly where that special spot is. When Gabriel shudders and groans, shifting abruptly further up the bed to evade the threat of coming way too soon, he withdraws his fingers.

“I still know you so well,” he remarks.

“Y-yes, Jackie,” a weak reply follows.

Gabriel spreads his legs further when Jack positions himself behind him. He looks just like Jack’s best wet dreams from this angle and even better. So easy to lose it just by looking at him.

Jack traces his thumb over his slicked puckering entrance for good measure, just to make him moan and arch and spread for him more, and then he slides into his tightness, once again cherishing how perfectly he feels on his cock, sinking his nails mercilessly into his thighs as he navigates his movements.

Neither of them seems to be in the mood for slow starts that night, both hanging on the very edge already, so Jack goes to straight on hammering into him, right into his prostate. Gabriel meets each violent thrust with a tiny needy noise, his back now arched over the sheets almost unnaturally to allow Jack going deeper.

“So perfect,” Jack keens, picking up the pace as the sound of skin slapping skin fills the room. “You’re so damn perfect.”

Few more deep thrusts and both of them are slipping over the edge almost in perfect sync, with Jack a little ahead and Gabriel a little behind. Gabriel’s legs give out right after and they both sink onto the bed, panting heavily, their skin sweaty and hot.  

Jack pulls out of him but doesn’t shift away as Gabriel is holding him firmly by the hand. He presses his back into Jack eagerly, clinging to him, and they stay like that for a while in the flawless silence of the night. Spent, Jack thinks they’re going to end up falling asleep this way, but soon the crazy thrumming in his head subsides and he’s suddenly wide awake again. Before he knows it he starts subtly caressing Gabriel’s side, ghosting his lips over his shoulder, his neck and behind his ear, soon discovering that the man isn’t sleeping either.

Their little session of making out and touching each other carries on for some time before it becomes apparent that they both are in need for more.

“Round two maybe?” Jack asks him good-humoredly, rubbing against Gabriel’s lower back, rock hard again. Just what kind of superpower has been suddenly unlocked within him?

Gabriel comes alive in his hands too, searching more friction greedily, pressing his ass into his hardness.

“Thought you’d never ask,” he replies and he means it.

They go for round two. And round three. And round four that night until Jack loses any interest in counting whatsoever, too lost in exploring the old and new ways he can make Gabriel come undone. The sun is already peeking above tree tops, accentuating their trembling shadows, when he cums once again, buried deep inside Gabriel, his hands wrapped about his slim waist, his knees propped against his inner thighs to keep them open because the other one is unable to support himself any longer.

The night leaves the two of them absolutely drained, but after a while Jack finds strength to sit up.

“You want some water?” he asks Gabriel hoarsely, touching the sweat soaked skin of his back.  Gabriel is lying on his stomach, embracing the pillow, right in the spot where Jack left him when he withdrew from him for the last time. The golden sun is washing over his dark skin, making him look like a painting of some classical highfalutin artist. Jack could never remember their names, unlike Gabriel who seemed to know each and every one of them and enjoyed teasing Jack about his artistic ignorance...

“Mhm,” the lazy reply follows.

 “Okay, I’ll bring you some.”

He slips off the bed and staggers into the kitchen, his joints screaming at every move, promising to hurt like hell in a few hours. But it’s a good kind of hurt and Jack feels renewed again, excited and high on that sweet tender feeling that is throbbing in his heart and spreads all over his body.  _Happiness?_

He returns to the bed with a glass of cool water and hands it to Gabriel. Gabriel doesn’t even stir from his spot, reaching out one hand instead and accepting the glass quietly without turning to face Jack. He’s too tired.

Jack then pads into the shower room and brings back a wet towel. He cleans Gabriel up as best he can, remembering how fastidious the man has always been in these aspects. Gabriel hums approvingly at that and seemingly relaxes when Jack is back by his side. Jack’s eyelids feel heavy and he can hardly stay awake himself. But still he takes his time to trace the prominent curves of Gabriel’s body. His fingers bump into the scars again.

“I hope no one ever knew you this way except for me,” he mutters. His heartbeat accelerates when his newfound lover doesn’t reply at once.

“What about you?” Gabriel croaks after what feels like ages.

“Me? Well, I’m not particularly interested in…anyone. Besides, you were the one who took my virgin ass one day.”

Gabriel chuckles and turns his face from the pillow a little to look at Jack with a cunning eye. He reaches out and brushes Jack’s cheek tenderly with his knuckles.

“Yeah,” he mutters. “That was some day. That explains things.”

Jack wants to lean into his touch but he makes an effort not to.

“You didn’t answer my question though,” he presses on.

Gabriel withdraws his hand and turns back into the pillow again, facing away.    

“Was there a question?” he utters dismissively.

“There was. Was there someone else?”

Gabriel is silent.

“ _Is_ there someone else?” Jack pries more vigorously as his heart shudders.

“No!” Gabriel growls. His back tenses, his hands clench into fists.

Jack sits up, alert now. Something feels very wrong here.

“Who was it, Gabe?” he demands coldly in his best commanding tone.

The silence lingers for a longest time, stubborn and proud, before Gabriel replies at last,

“Some Talon operatives”

Now there’s something else besides hurt rising up in Jack’s chest. Deadly and merciless like a flamed up bombshell.

“What?!” he asks incredulously. He takes a deep breath then, suddenly shaking all over. He’s shocked but he can also see that Gabriel is struggling with practically the same emotion right now, trying to fight it back. It makes his clenched fists blacken even more, dark swirls of smoke evaporating from his skin all over his body.

“Was it with your consent?” Jack asks him, not caring if his voice comes out all wrong and trembling.

Gabriel doesn’t say anything but that’s all information Jack needs right now. He gets up from the bed and starts dressing up with furious determination.

“Where are you going?” Gabriel asks him, propping himself up on his elbows.

“Names, I need their names,” Jack demands coldly, pulling on his boots.

“Jack…”

“Give me the names, dammit!” he turns to Gabriel and faces him. There’s a shade of fear ghosting in Gabriel’s gaze but only for a moment. Then he narrows his eyes and frustration reads all over his scarred although still handsome features.

“I don’t know their names, they were wearing masks,” he blurts out. “You think I wouldn’t have killed them myself?”

“Someone’s gotta pay,” Jack roars and storms out of the cabin, pulse rifle slung over the shoulder.

The sun has risen high above the woods, cold and dark and dying. Jack reaches right for it.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued...


	3. Unveiling_2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He would never admit to him that he treats him like a broken, although still most precious being, because Gabriel would have hated this, would have refused such kind of pity for his true and deeply hidden self. So he just tells him that if they are going to spend time together he’s going to take all the time in the world to really _be_ with him. Because it feels like thousands of years since the last time they did this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we delve deeper into the old soldiers' territory

**III. Unveiling_2**

 

A man is scurrying through the maze of corridors, hallways and spacy rooms in a dark manor. Panting, pleading, sobbing pitifully. He keeps glancing back, eyes mad with fear, keeps grabbing at his back in fruitless attempts to pluck a device stuck to his newly tailored suit. The device is treacherously beeping and pinging in the dark, disclosing his location.

“No- _no_! Fuck… Leave me alone,” the man whimpers, peering back, into the darkness. _Chased._

A shadow is following him. It’s been following him for what seems like ages and he is scared to the point where he no longer comprehends what he is doing, where he is and which direction he needs to take to escape. He sees light in the end of yet another endless hall and heads right for it, reaching out with his shaking hands.

He slips on something spilled on the floor and tumbles down crying out in pain when he lands on his ankle and twists it badly. Trembling, he clutches at his injured leg, rocking back and forth until suddenly he realizes that the liquid spilled all over the floor is sticky and thick - _blood_. He takes a closer look at his hands and in the moonlight they are dark, greased in it. So are his suit and his boots. He loses it, starts screaming in panic.

There’s a startling bleeping sound behind him and when he hears it he struggles to scramble back to his feet but over and over he’s slipping, his injured leg won’t support him properly. From the corner of his eye he can now see the orange glow of a visor, looming closer.

He freezes then, petrified, stops squirming and doesn’t resist, as if accepting his inevitable doom, when the chaser grabs him by the throat and lifts him up like a lifeless puppet. Choking, he’s clutching at the man’s forearm in a weak attempt to break loose from the deathly grip but it’s useless to struggle.

Soldier76 steps over the pile of bodies he’s already dealt with and into the light of the moon, onto the exquisite stanza, holding the struggling, gagging man over the edge.

“What can _you_ tell me about Talon?” he barks out, shaking his helpless prey.

“P-please uhh… I…I only… working here! Please… I won’t tell…anyone.”

There’s a sudden hissing noise coming from inside the manor and Soldier76 visibly tenses, pauses before looking back over his shoulder. A moment passes and when his visor detects nothing in the darkness behind he lets out a low growl and turns his attention back to his hostage.

“P-please, _please_ … listen to uhhh…me. I’ve got… family…kids. I’ll get you… anything….just don’t…don’t kill me!!”

With an exasperated groan Soldier76 snaps his neck, killing him instantly. Nonchalantly, he tosses the body into the pile by the stanza and ventures back into the manor.

He stands in the center of the hall for a while, checking for any more sounds, any more signs of life left in the building.

When he makes sure that there’re none left he relaxes, letting out a heavy sigh. He looks exhausted, barely standing on his feet. He lowers his pulse rifle and sways to the side, stretching out his arm just in time to find support in the wall. He leans heavily onto it with his back and sinks slowly to the floor, mindless of the blood spilled all over it.

Minutes pass by and suddenly he’s brought back to reality from his state of dozing off by that same hissing noise. Soldier76 jumps a little, curses through his visor and grips the rifle, leveling it at the now visible disturber - an old laptop left open on the desk in front of him. He considers shooting it as well but then changes his mind. The device is beeping and buzzing chaotically at first but then he is able to make out coherent sounds coming from the static lines on the screen.

“-oldier! Switch on your comm for God’s sake!”

No, he’s not hearing things; at least of that he’s pretty sure. The screen is talking to him.

“Plug in to your comms device. Now!” the screen repeats accusingly and he growls in frustration, striking his fist against the wall.

“Damn it,” he hisses.

He hesitates but the static wouldn’t stop buzzing angrily at him and at last he reaches into the pocket of his jacket and produces his earpiece. As soon as he connects it to the frame of his visor Ana’s voice breaks through to him. She sounds calm and gentle, not a bit angry as he expected.

“Jack? Can you hear me, dear?”

There’s a pause.

“Yeah. I can hear you.”

“Where are you now?”

“I…,” for a moment he has trouble remembering where he is. He’s been chasing ghosts for so long he doesn’t really care anymore.

“Ah, Italy,” he finally replies. ”Some… town in Italy.”

“I see. Jack, whatever you’re doing out there, we need you back here. You’ve been gone for weeks now and this just can’t go on like this. Please, be reasonable and find some dignity to stop this.”

“How did you find me?” he whispers through gritted teeth.

“Someone helped me. It’s a long story. What matters now is you and your well-being. By doing what you’re doing you’re putting yourself on a plain view. You’re putting yourself and everyone else in danger. Especially _Gabriel_.”

Jack tenses at that last bit, short of words.

“He contacted me, Jack. He didn’t say what happened between the two of you but I guess something _did_ happen now that you’re going around killing Talon people randomly without any distinction.”

“What do you want from me?”

“I want you to pull yourself together and get your ass back to our hiding place. Right now. And I’m not going to seat here and beg you, or stroke your poor hurt ego. You’re just one man, not an army. Just…get a grip. You’re needed here. I’ll send out an evac ship to pick you up immediately and I will take no denial.”

She disconnects the comms link.

***

 

But Jack wasn’t going to deny her help, nor does he care how she even managed to find a ship for him. At some point in his raging bloody hunt he realized he will never be able to track down the bastards who hurt Gabriel, and even if he caught them by accident he would never know that it was them.

That’s why in the end he decided to follow up on a fresh lead instead, the one he’s been looking into recently. Some minor Talon operatives with promising future, who already “earned” their place and reputation in the organization. The whole families of them – Jack eliminated with that same blunt indifference, his reason blinded completely by his violent rampage. Until this time, he has never been the one to fall into such uncontrollable episodes but when it came to Gabriel, something just broke in him, like a tightly drawn string finally snapping. Talon has become more than just a dangerous organization now, more than just “a problem” – it has become his personal enemy and it did so by taking away and hurting what was most dear to him.

Jack feels completely worthless and killing people brings him no satisfaction despite what he’s been hoping for. He hasn’t slept or eaten in days and he’s grown so thin his jacket is hanging loose on his frame.  So, he doesn’t care much about anything at this point.

He lets Ana estimate his location and when the ship arrives to finally get him out of the damn manor the dawn is already breaking, revealing the bloody scene. Jack scrambles on board, shuffling his feet, his shoulders slumped and his bloodied pulse rifle dragging behind him.

Ana personally greets him, having made all the way here just for him alone, beyond herself with worry. He’s thankful that she doesn’t start asking him questions at once or tell him how he’s fucked up big time. He knows it alright. He knows that they will probably have to suspend any of their operations now entirely, because the news is going to be screaming about a certain vigilante going rouge in various parts of the world. Maybe Talon will issue an order to kill him for good, making it personal too after what he did. And he knows exactly who will be put in charge of this operation.

“It’s a losing game we’re playing here, Ana,” he tells her as the ship takes off and disappears in the direction of a freshly born sunlight.

“I wouldn’t make such haste conclusions,” she tells him. “There’re things you can’t predict. And we’ve all made mistakes before.”

“Wasn’t a mistake. Someone had to do it,” Jack retorts, anger still boiling inside of him.

“What did they do? What did they do to make you so angry?” Ana asks him quietly and he can tell that she’s scared of him. Of the state he’s in. “I’ve never seen you like this before and I’ve known you for most of my life”.

“Doesn’t matter,” he answers flatly.

“Is it about Gabriel?”

Jack is silent but Ana seems to catch on the clue.

“Once again I urge you to be careful around him, Jack.”

Jack takes off his visor in a gesture of exasperation and shoots a flaming gaze at her.

“I’m tired,” he says.

“You need to get some rest. You’ve grown so thin I hardly recognize you…Let’s get you to our hideout and then we’ll start figuring things out from there.”

He spends few days in their place and doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to head back to his cabin in the woods. As expected, they suspend any operations for a while, at least until the hype in the news subsides, and for the most part they stay idle, hiding. Jack figures that Ana does so because she worries he might do something stupid again. But he’s regained enough of common sense not to.

For most of that time he stays in his corner, in his bed, thinking of everything that has happened to him during the last few months. Ana attempts to persuade him to eat something but he’s being stubborn, resorting to a bottle of whiskey instead. She hopes he sleeps at night but instead now and again she catches him looking out of the glassless window longingly, his eyes full of a peculiar sadness, tenderness even. She knows that look.

“Why won’t you head back?” she would ask him in a soft voice. Jack is her best friend…even more so, he’s like a family to her. She cares deeply about him and seeing him go through this hurt, this situation she can only make guesses about - makes her heart bleed for him too. She has her own personal reasons to understand his struggle on a deep enough level. Hell, she’s been in a very similar situation herself.

“Not ready yet,” Jack would say to her. But what she thinks he’s really feeling is fear, fear to be betrayed again, fear to be left alone again. She still loves Gabriel but she no longer trusts him. Jack used to be the strongest player in this game and now that Gabriel tracked him down – he’s turned into a shadow, scared, thin and cornered here. It’s apparent that Jack still loves him just as much as he used to in the past and she can only hope that Gabriel hasn’t lost the ability to love back somewhere along his cruel ways. Their relationship was always a tightly kept secret only few were let in on and, being one of the few, she knows how deep their bond used to be in the past. So deep she doesn’t believe it can ever be broken entirely.

“He might be needing you, Jack, you know,” Ana observes one evening, after she discovers that he spent yet another sleepless night.  

“Has he tried to contact you again?” Jack asks.

Ana only shakes her head.      

“For all we know, he might not be out there to begin with,” he tells her, chuckling darkly. “For all we know, he might be leading his own little army of Talon to get rid of us for good…”

“For all I can see, you’re projecting your hatred on him for no obvious reason,” she cuts him off. “When it’s clear to me that you need him just as much.”

“Don’t play a psychiatrist with me, Ana,” Jack waves her off but something changes in his eyes after that.

On the following morning he’s gone, and later Ana discovers a message left on her computer:

_Going to the cabin now. Take care_

She smiles a little – for her it’s time to worry and time to hope.   

***

 

When Jack steps into the cabin to “face his fear” yet again what he faces is _Gabriel_. Still there, sitting on his bed cross-legged and wearing _his_ old hoodie and _his_ old jeans, the dark heavy coat cast aside on the chair. Jack’s place looks settled in, even cleaner somehow and Jack wonders vaguely if Gabriel took care of that in his absence. His heart flutters and sinks at the same time at the sight of him. He wants to come up to him, to hold him in his arms and to just cuddle with him and kiss him. Instead he walks into the room without saying a word to him and places his rifle against the wall. He takes off his jacket wearily and hangs it right there by the rifle, on a nail in the wall.

“So, did you kill them for me, Jackie?” Gabriel asks him when he starts undoing his boots and his “reaper” voice cuts Jack like a knife. From the corner of his eye he can see that the mask is still present on Gabriel’s face although he moved it up to his forehead when Jack came in.

He thinks he can hear mockery in that voice, a hint of hatred.

“Aren’t you supposed to be at Talon headquarters right now, reporting whatever you’ve got to report?” he snaps, straightening up and clenching his fists.

“Oh, after what you did I’ll have to be there sooner or later. And I’ll have to be very careful now about what I say to them.”

“What you gonna say to them? That you fucked up your ‘mission’?”

Gabriel outright laughs at that, throwing his head back. Jack doesn’t like that laughter, he looks away, growling.

“Really?” Gabriel asks him, raising his brows. He rises up from the bed, walks around it and comes up to Jack.

“If you’re planning to stir shit up the way you’re doing,” he says poking his clawed finger right into Jack’s chest with such force it will probably bruise. “Soon we’ll have nothing to work with here.”

Jack grabs his hand and shoves it away.

“So, you’re telling me to step aside and do nothing while you’re doing your noble ‘job’? Just like that?”

“I’m just asking your crazy hot-headed ass to chill out already!” Gabriel snaps at him and after a pause, he adds in a quieter tone not deprived of bitter mockery,

“Although I admit, I really enjoyed the way you got all wound up and went on your little Talon-killing spree because of _me_.”

Jack grabs him by the collar of his own worn out hoodie and pulls him in violently.

“If you’re lying to me, Gabe,” he barks out. “If everything you told me was a lie…”

“Then what?” Gabriel asks of him with a tiny uptight laugh. He doesn’t even fight back this time. “Are you going to fucking _kill_ me already?”

Suddenly what Jack sees in front of him is a broken man holding on to his wrists and to the last strings of sanity. It’s as if the mask has slipped somehow from Gabriel’s face - not the one he’s still wearing askew on his forehead, the one he’s been wearing all this time underneath and couldn’t quite take off entirely. What Jack sees is his lover – old and broken and scarred to the bone. Dying and needing help. Instead what he does is shake him up, pretending how much he hates him. It lasts only for a second, this sudden “unveiling” but Jack lets go and backs away, ashamed and defeated. He rubs his forehead in attempt to cover his eyes.

“I’m going to take a shower,” he mumbles and turns his back on Gabriel, rushing into the shower room.

“Jack…,” Gabriel calls to him, but he shoves the door closed in front of him and disappears.

He just stays there under the spray of swiftly cooling water, the fingers of his left hand closed around the wrist of his right one, his back hunched and his head hanging low. Probably, some part of him was even hoping for Gabriel to lie to him, to betray him, because he’s already given up on things, on himself, on Overwatch. It’s so easy to rage, to walk around shooting people and screaming that you have been hurt. It’s so much harder to face someone else’s hurt. A hurt of entirely different kind. How will they ever be able to mend this thing between them broken beyond any mending?

He snaps back into reality only when Gabriel’s arms wrap around him from behind, his warm chest pressing into Jack’s back. Only then Jack becomes aware that he’s cold and that the water stream is practically freezing now.

“ _Dios_ , you’re going to freeze yourself to death,” Gabriel exclaims and turns the water off entirely.

“So stupid,” he mutters, rubbing Jack’s upper arms and shoulders to warm him up.

Jack soon turns around in his arms, glances up at him hesitantly, allowing to be taken care of.   

“Gabe…,” he whispers, shifting a little closer.

“I’m not lying to you, Jack,” he tells him. “Okay? I’m not.”

Now there’re damn tears streaming down from his eyes and Jack wipes them away angrily with the backs of his hands.

“How could you let them do this to you?” he wonders, placing his fists on Gabriel’s shoulders.

“I did what I had to. So that we could have a chance now. We still have it.”

“Do we?”

“I can give you Doomfist,” Gabriel says after a brief pause.

“What?”

“I can give you Doomfist if you let me. You get him – you get Talon out of your way for a good long time. You just got to let me finish this, Jack. And you’ve got to help me.”

Jack just stares at him, wide-eyed, quickly catching on to the facts.

“So, our plan worked after all? Can we go _this_ far?” he wonders warily, weighing in all possible outcomes of such a turn of events.

“We can if we try to work together on this.”   

“But what they did…that…”

“Let it go. For now. Okay?”

Jack chuckles.

“Am I dreaming or are you really offering to work together against Talon?”

Gabriel places his hands on Jack’s chest and pushes him gently.

“And you thought I was coming to you just because you’re good in bed?”

Jack’s back hits the wall. The two of them can barely fit in the narrow stall but he doesn’t mind the lack of space.

“I was hoping so,” he replies with pretend defiance, embracing Gabriel as he closes the distance between them and claims his lips.

“You _are_ good though,” Gabriel whispers before kissing back harder.

His claws trace Jack’s skin in soothing patterns and he finds himself going completely pliant, finally relaxing after weeks of exhausting chase. Gabriel is here now and that’s what matters.

Jack lets him kiss his neck, his chest; shivers as he lets him trail his lips lower, exploring the path he knows so well – the map of Jack’s body. Jack’s lips form into a surprised “O” when Gabriel gets down to his knees in front of him and boldly takes him into his mouth. Jack gasps, cards his fingers through his hair, noting to himself how significantly it has grown out since the last time. He takes a handful of it, tugging at it to angle Gabriel’s head the way he wants, the way he can see him better. Gabriel hums approvingly at that, wrapping his lips around him and sucking lightly on Jack’s hardening length. He looks up at him cunningly and somehow even manages a crooked smile with his mouth stuffed like that.   

Jack’s breath hitches; he moans at the sight of him and throws his head back, painfully hitting the wall again. He doesn’t care. He’s tired but Gabriel has always been able to get him going and make him feel the best way possible.

“Yes,” he breathes out when Gabriel picks up the pace, stroking him now too exactly in the way Jack loves. The claws of his other hand dig into the muscles of his thigh and Jack is trembling, keening as he tilts his head and looks down again to see Gabriel working him beautifully. His hips start pushing into the heat of his mouth on their own accord and Jack tugs at Gabriel’s hair slightly, warning him that he’s close.

“Not gonna last much longer with you like tha-”

He is cut off, crying out when Gabriel proceeds to outright deep-throat him after that, taking him to the hilt and sliding back to swirl his tongue expertly around the head. When the tips of his claws ghost over Jack’s balls and proceed further up to his entrance, circling it, he slips over the edge in less than no time and comes into Gabriel’s mouth, his body spasming deliciously as he’s watching Gabriel swallow down each and every drop of him.

Gabriel then sits back a little, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and looks at Jack with a somewhat proud expression on his face, a naughty spark still dancing in his scarlet eyes. Jack doesn’t want it to end yet but suddenly he feels terribly sleepy and Gabriel’s form is going all blurry before his eyes.  

“What the hell?” he asks, for the first time aware of just how deep into the bones his exhaustion has settled. It weighs heavily on him like a huge stone around his neck and he starts to slide down along the wall. 

“Feeling sleepy?” Gabriel asks him most innocently as he watches Jack’s struggle to stand straight.

“You’ve just… you’ve drained me…” Jack protests weakly.

Gabriel rises up to his feet and catches Jack before he collapses on the floor. He offers him a shoulder for support and then slowly helps him out of the stall.

“I might have gone a little too carried away,” he comments. “You are so _tasty_.”

“Fucking life-sucking …reaper-thing…” Jack mumbles while his thoughts are getting all confused, his mind shutting out.

“Shut up. You need to get some sleep.”

“Gonna…gonna _ex-er-cise_ revenge upon you later. For doing things like that to me… _For_ …”

***

 

…He wakes up to the sounds of something boiling, hissing and sizzling in his kitchen. Jack moans irritably, grabs one of the pillows and covers his head with it, turning away and curling up, determined to get back to his sweet slumber. But soon, besides the sounds, smells start reaching him. Delicious, tasty smells of something really nice being freshly cooked. His mind goes very swiftly from sleeping into a fully awake state and he moves the pillow aside, turning his mussed head in the direction of the kitchen, blinking sleepily at the scene unfolding there.  His brows move high up his forehead as he observes with newly discovered levels of wonder – Gabriel. Cooking.

He’s still wearing Jack’s hoodie and his jeans which fit his strong thighs so snugly. He’s always been more prominently shaped than Jack but his forms seem to have grown even more curvaceous during these past few years. After a while of audacious staring, Jack draws a conclusion that he looks absolutely glorious.  

Meanwhile Gabriel is fully immersed in his task, humming some tune to himself while stirring what looks like a pancake on an old pan. His moves – light and gracious, those of a professional chef who knows exactly what he’s doing.

“You uh… making breakfast?” Jack states, still staring in disbelief.

Gabriel goes quiet at once and glances at him over the shoulder somewhat warily. It’s clear that he wanted to be done with this routine before Jack wakes up.

“Yes,” he admits. “Some proper and edible breakfast, not that shit you’ve been starving yourself on.”

“Where’d you get all the stuff for cooking?” Jack asks him with a grain of uncertainty.

“In the shop, Jack,” Gabriel declares matter-of-factly. “Where else?”

“You went to the shop?!” Jack props himself up on his elbows, baffled. “How??”

“Fucking fully armored. Just walked in there, shot everyone and took whatever I needed. You know, just the usual.”

“What?!”

Gabriel laughs at the dumbfounded expression on Jack’s sleepy face. He puts one clawed finger in his mouth to taste the pancake he’s currently cooking.

“Mmm, this is good.”

He switches the portable double burner off then, assumes wraith form from waist down and glides swiftly into the room where Jack is still looking at him with a horrified expression of disbelief.

“I’m just kidding, Jackie,” Gabriel tells him humorously. “I took your car and drove to the mall. Like all the regular mortals usually do.”

“Well, fuck you,” Jack shakes his head and waves him off, letting out a sigh of deep relief and rubbing his face with the palms of his hands. “It’s just…”

“What? Hard to imagine?” Gabriel chuckles.

“Yeah. Kinda…”

Gabriel reaches out to him, fingers gently brushing his cheekbone and, when Jack looks up, the touch still lingers, changing into a soft caress. This time Jack doesn’t go on overthinking this, he simply leans into the palm of Gabriel’s hand, briefly closing his eyes as he seeks more contact.

“Look what I got on the way back,” Gabriel says to him.

And when Jack opens his eyes again he sees a tiny yellow chamomile held out gently between the deathly blackened claws.

“A flower?” he wonders, instinctively taking it and bringing it up to his nose. It has practically no smell whatsoever but Jack thinks it might be the most beautiful flower he’s ever seen. His heart flutters in his chest while Gabriel’s claws are still caressing his cheek.

“There’s a whole field of them by the road to the mall,” Gabriel explains.

“I haven’t noticed,” Jack admits. He discovers that discussing such casual things as going shopping or the beauty of flower fields with Gabriel makes him infinitely happy for no obvious reason.

“You should probably be less indifferent to the world around you sometimes. It’s not all about Overwatch and Talon you know.”

Jack snakes one hand around his waist and gently pulls him closer, onto the bed.

“I’m not indifferent to you,” he remarks, wrapping both his arms around Gabriel. “Does it make you feel?”

“Yes,” Gabriel admits at once, leaning down to kiss his lips.

“How?”

“Good. It makes me feel _really good_.”

Jack smiles and hums contently.

“You look nice wearing my clothes,” he says.

Gabriel lets him kiss him for a while before gently breaking free.

“You should eat something,” he says. “I didn’t do all the cooking only for it to go to waste.”

“Fine. But can I eat you first?”

Gabriel snorts at the obscenity of Jack’s thoughts, then smirks and rubs against his side with a tiny moan, biting his lower lip.

“Not until you look more or less like a human being and not like a sickly apparition. Have you seen yourself in the mirror?”

Jack shakes his head.

“I only wanted to keep you safe, Gabe.”

“Then hold your horses a bit, boy scout. I’m not going anywhere right now. Let’s have some down time together, shall we? Just you and me. In this place. How about that?”

“Alright. Whatever you say then.”

They stay in bed for a while longer, basking in each other’s presence until Gabriel finally manages to coax Jack out of it and into the kitchen.

The pancakes he made taste just as delicious as they smell and Jack makes a point of mentioning this to Gabriel, making him practically beam with pride. Jack wolves them all down in one seating, only then remembering to ask if Gabriel had a chance to eat any himself. When he finds out that he _actually didn’t_ (“And it’s totally okay, Jack”) he starts protesting and grumbles until the two of them finally resort to cooking more pancakes together.

The process of pancake cooking turns seamlessly into love making and they get back to the bed, to the things that are so much more important right now than Overwatch or Talon or whatever lies in between - to healing and mending and caring for _each other_.

This time Jack wants to make sure that they take time, to make sure that they don’t just _fuck_ but _love_ instead. He teases and plays with Gabriel incessantly, making a point of kissing, caressing, touching, staying in contact with him instead of just getting him off as fast as possible. He would never admit to him that he treats him like a broken, although still most precious being, because Gabriel would have hated this, would have refused such kind of pity for his true and deeply hidden self. So he just tells him that if they are going to spend time together he’s going to take all the time in the world to really _be_ with him. Because it feels like thousands of years since the last time they did this.

 And Gabriel loves the new way of fucking, arching for Jack and writhing under him, and opening up to him not as much with his body to be taken, but with his soul to be fixed and glued back together piece by piece, to finally be able to find that core of his true self, of Gabriel Reyes, and to begin the process of rebuilding him, making him stronger than ever before. The only driving force, the only guiding light he needs is Jack Morrison.        

Jack wants it to be different too. They seem to have slipped so easily into the scenario where Gabriel ends up on the receiving end and that’s not exactly how things always used to be in the past, so Jack attempts to offer a different way, suggests switching instead, to which he gets one more dismissive refusal. It’s not that he doesn’t want to be the one “taking”, it’s that he wants to give Gabriel an opportunity to seize control and be in power, to remind him that he used to do it so well and, frankly, because Jack just loves that.

The yellow chamomile stays in a small tin on Jack’s nightstand. The light of the standard lamp descends softly onto its golden petals and onto Jack and Gabriel’s bodies entangled together on the bed – they are not exhausted this time, but peacefully content and sleepy after a whole day spent in rediscovering each other. Gabriel’s arm is wrapped safely around Jack’s shoulder and Jack’s head is resting on Gabriel’s chest where their hands are interlocked.

“What happened to your arms?” Jack wonders caressing the blackened skin, still not used to the way it reacts to his touch, getting all smoky and semitransparent. “You used to know how to keep this in check.”

“Mhm?” Gabriel hums, stirring awake from his state of blissful afterglow. “Ah, this…”

He clenches his clawed fingers into a fist and in a few seconds the blackness evaporates, revealing his “human” hand, just as it used to be once.

“If I concentrate hard enough, I still can make it look normal,” he explains. “But somewhere along the way I lost full control over what’s happening to my body. I better spare you the details. When you don’t have control over your body it’s easy to commit something crazy. And I had problems with…self-control. After _the explosion_.”

“I see,” Jack says, covering Gabriel’s fist with his hand and bringing it down to his lips. Gabriel’s skin turns black again after he kisses the knuckles, claws shaping back up from the smoky essence. 

“It’s not something that bothers me much really,” Gabriel continues. “I got used to it. Thinking that you were dead. _That_ was something else entirely.”

“I am sorry,” Jack whispers, barely audible.

Gabriel plants a kiss to his temple.

“Me too” 

“It’s so quiet in here,” Gabriel says after a while of prudent silence filled only with a distant warble of a nightingale. “Not used to this.”

“Yeah,” Jack responds, wrapping his arm around Gabriel and sighing slowly. “Sometimes I think I could spend the rest of my life here. Away from the rest of the world.”

Gabriel goes strangely silent at that and Jack is slowly realizing why.

“I mean, like _…we_ could spend time here, together,” he props himself up on one elbow to take a look at Gabriel, worried.  “I didn’t mean no offense.”

There is a sad crooked smile tugging at the corners of Gabriel’s mouth and his eyes go dim, devoid of that lively spark.

“It’s okay,” he says. “I just wish I could go with you one day is all. Wish you could take me with you.... when you’ll be gone…”

He looks away, his eyes glassing over with tears and Jack just can’t stand the sight of him like that. He shifts closer and nuzzles Gabriel’s cheek, holding his hand tightly in his own.

“I thought O'Deorain was still working on the cure for you.”

“She lost interest in me I guess. The draft exists but right now she’s so popular in Talon she’s got some much more interesting subjects to test. And I also don’t think that curing me would please them. I’m much more useful to them in this…state. Besides, it’s useful for me as well.”

“We will find a way to deal with it. I promise.” Jack assures him, kissing his cheek.

“Yeah…,” Gabriel responds but there’s not much confidence in his voice.

***

 

And so they spend three days together, three days of a completely normal life that seems to them like something from another world, another reality, something like a dream. They even go shopping together one day, and Jack gets a rare chance to see Gabriel being picky about a pack of broccoli and arguing with a stupefied shop assistant about the quality of local spices. He then lets Gabriel drag him to the clothing aisle while struggling to believe his own ears (and failing to do so) as he hears him speaking enthusiastically about latest fashion brands all of a sudden. Gabriel has always been keen about the subject but Jack had no idea he still got it in him after everything they had to go through. He’s so surprised he even agrees to try on some new _stylish_ articles of clothes which “ _look really, really nice on him_ ” according to Gabriel’s words and then is inevitably coaxed into buying them.

He’s just as surprised to discover that there’s a whole new life out there that he has completely forgotten even exists somehow despite the war and crisis, and Gabriel’s the one to remind him about that. 

They’re making out in the empty parking lot until some old lady startles them by repeatedly hitting their truck with her walking stick.

“Just who do you think you are!” she croaks, waving the stick at them belligerently. “Young people these days, young people these days! Out of their goddamn minds!”

They drive away from the mall to the ceaseless flow of her curses, only chuckling good-naturedly at the fact that they have been mistaken for “young people” and at the fact that this lady has no idea who they really are and how they are the ones responsible for her quiet and peaceful life.

They pull over by the field of yellow chamomiles, settle on the hood of the truck, in each other’s arms, and watch sunset growing ardent and spilling gold over the field. They stay until it gets completely dark and until stars pop up in the skies to the chirping of grasshoppers in the dew-soaked grass.

Jack’s thoughts have been on the tip of his tongue for a while during the day and in that dark he’s no longer able to keep them to himself.

“Just when I thought everything was finally getting back to normal, things started to fall apart between us. I didn’t even notice when exactly,” he says, gazing at the stars, and then looking down pensively. 

He can hear Gabriel sigh beside him before responding,

“Talon got to us in the end. They worked with such precision and they finally got what they wanted.”

Jack steals a glance at him, watches the crease of his brow, the distinct features of his scarred face sculptured perfectly by time, battles and hardships.

“Thought we had it planned, you and me,” he says. “I hated your idea of infiltrating them and dealing with them in the same way they dealt with us. But we had no choice... _you_ told me we had no other option. Overwatch had to take a fall.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Then the explosion happened. And you abandoned me.”

“Gabe, I told you I...”

“I know, I know,” Gabriel waves off his weak attempts to explain his actions yet again. “You had to do it. People wanted you dead and they got what they wanted. You chose them over me and it’s fine. I understand. You had to disappear.”

“That’s just not true!” Jack protests ardently.

Gabriel looks him in the eye and Jack sees no sign of hatred – only pain. He wants so badly to make it all up to him…

“I thought you died there,” Gabriel goes on. “That was _it_ for me. The end. In the explosion I was gravely injured. The floor under me…collapsed and I fell through. That’s why you couldn’t find me. You weren’t the one who came to my aid that day. I _was told_ that you died. After that I wanted no cure but embraced death instead, became one with it. I told Moira that I want it all, that I want her to fuck me up and made a monster out of me just like she always wanted to. And oh, she knows better than anyone how to fuck people up. She’s a perfect scientist.” 

“Gabe, please, I’m so sorry. If only I knew that you were looking for me. That you were alive...I would’ve done things differently. I thought I lost you and I gave everything up. I only wanted you to be cured, free of that curse. It was the only reason I tolerated Moira in the first place, and it was exactly why they got under our skins. It was our greatest weakness. But we still can turn it into our greatest advantage too.” 

Gabriel is silent, thinking Jack’s words over.

“How did _you_ survive, Jack?” he then asks quietly. 

Jack shrugs.

“I...I guess I got lucky. For once. I’m not entirely sure. All I was thinking about back then ...was you. How I suddenly lost you from my sight. One moment you were there and then you were gone... and there was nothing but darkness after that.”

“We were arguing that day.”

“You were being stubborn and stupid.”

“Here you go”

“I wish I could bring that moment back,” Jack says, clenching his fists. “I wish I could change things and make it right, Gabe. Damn, if only I could do that…”

Gabriel reaches out to lightly caress Jack’s shoulder and his back, soothing him.

“There is no right way. Unless you go back all the way to my crazy early SEP days, before we even met, and change that. But I was so hotheaded you’d probably end up getting punched in the face and failing with your initial intent.”

“No…if we go back all the way, I would’ve never met you to begin with...”

“See? Pain and suffering have always been our true companions.”

“Yet we always managed to get along somehow. Maybe we will manage this time as well?” 

“We will see. For now, for today, I feel…better with you by my side.”

Gabriel wraps his arm around Jack’s shoulders and pulls him closer, into a kiss. Jack kisses him back passionately before pulling away all of a sudden.

He chuckles.

“What?” Gabriel asks him.

“You will be the death of me,” he says, rubbing his temples. “Making me so fucking lightheaded.”

“Low blood sugar levels maybe?” Gabriel inquires, smiling at him.

“Yeah. Go on. Tell me about how old I am getting.”

“You’re still a very fine-looking man.”

“Gonna take a walk.”

Jack jumps of the hood then and ventures further into the field, gasping chestfuls of fresh cool air. There’s so much on his mind and so much in his heart he feels overwhelmed. _The feeling_ is still there, gnawing at his soul but he’s afraid to face it, to admit it. There is life and there is future, sure, but he doubts there is a place for him and Gabriel reserved in it. All they can have – are these few moments and he shouldn’t invest any greater hopes in made up happily-ever-afters.

He picks a chamomile and slowly makes his way back to Gabriel as soon as he feels recovered. Gabriel’s eyes are two gleaming ruby fires in the night and he smiles as Jack approaches him.

“Feeling better?” he asks, outstretching his arm toward Jack.

“I’m fine,” Jack says, entering into his personal space and making him lean back onto the hood a little. “Hey. I’ve got you something.”

 In a single day Gabriel’s hair has grown unexpectedly long, reaching the middle of his back now. The ends are glowing pale red in the dark, mirroring his eyes. Jack cards his fingers through it to feel its softness before fixing a chamomile to it, placing it behind Gabriel’s ear.

“You’re indeed a wonder,” he muses, leaning to Gabriel and kissing him again.

“Am I?” Gabriel asks.

“Yes,” Jack admits. “A beautiful wonder.”

Jack feels drunk on all of this, on Gabriel. He kisses him deeper, relentlessly probing at his mouth with his tongue until Gabriel takes the hint and slides down the hood of the truck a bit to get closer. He opens his thighs, wraps his legs around Jack’s waist and starts grinding enthusiastically against him.

Jack fumbles with the belts on Gabriel’s new jeans and struggles with numerous buttons until he finally manages to pull them down his legs. Instead of taking Gabriel right there he lifts him in his arms to move him up the hood and then bows down to take his hard dick in his mouth. He’s met by a surprised gasp and the claws of both Gabriel’s hands grasp at his hair. It seems like Gabriel tries to resist him at first but then gives up, relaxes, and leans back down, panting shallowly.

Jack hasn’t done this in ages and feels somewhat clumsy guiding Gabriel down his throat, gagging inexpertly. But he gets a hang of it pretty soon, taking his own pleasure in the tiny wanton sounds Gabriel starts making when he swirls his tongue in a particular way. He can feel Gabriel grow harder, bigger in his mouth, can feel the taste of him grow more evident as precome spills onto his tongue and he is pretty sure that he will never forget this taste and this night and the way Gabriel is slowly but inevitably coming undone for him.

“You taste so good,” he growls softly, withdrawing for a moment, and proceeds to shower Gabriel’s inner thighs with feathery kisses, interlocking his gaze with him when Gabriel looks down his body. Jack trails kisses up to his knee, and then back down, to his belly, to his hardness standing to full attention in the cooling air. Jack rubs his check against it and Gabriel gently nudges him in the back of his head, urging to get back to work instead of looking.

Jack takes his time though, leaning in and stealing a sloppy kiss from his lips instead, making him taste himself on his tongue too. When he takes his swollen dick back into his mouth and drives him deep into his throat, Gabriel arches his back over the hood of the truck with a loud groan, locking his legs around Jack’s waist almost painfully.

Soon, even preoccupied as he is, Jack starts to realize that something is happening. Both Gabriel’s hands are still entangled in his hair, navigating him, but _something_ is caressing his back now, moving lower. The hairs on the back of Jack’s neck stood up and he stops his ministrations whatsoever. He pulls away and glares at Gabriel who looks the same, but at the same time - is changed. His hands and body and his head are all smoky, his lustful eyes are red and glowing wildly, emanating fiery whiffs into the night. Jack musters courage to look back and sees two smoky tentacles swirling around him, caressing him, snaking under his clothes.

“Gabe…?”

“Ugh…please, don’t stop now,” Gabriel pleads him softly, his form switching from tangible and real to transparent and disappearing. His voice still sounds real though and soon Jack pulls himself together, gets back to sucking him off while trying to mentally adjust to the new conditions.

“Just trust me, boyscout,” Gabriel whispers as the two tails of smoke reach beneath the band of Jack’s pants and further down, probing at his hole. Jack jolts forward abruptly, but Gabriel’s hands sooth him, guiding him to sink lower on his dick instead, to take him in deeper. His voice makes Jack go lax and he doesn’t stop when one of those things pushes inside of him just a little, testing him, while another one keeps teasing him further. Jack hums around Gabriel, his eyes watering as Gabriel makes him pick up the pace, getting closer now. Soon he is outright fucking his mouth and Jack can only hold on to his thighs and arch his back a little more to give a better access to that smoky thing that suddenly feels so good moving inside of him. When the second one joins in he reaches between his legs, undoes his pants and starts urgently stroking his painfully hard cock. He comes in a matter of seconds and Gabriel follows him shortly, spilling deep into Jack’s throat. Jack makes every effort to swallow all that he has to give him.

When he recovers his ability to think straight after the mind-blowing orgasm, he registers that Gabriel is whole again, lying propped up on the hood and watching him closely, stern and concerned, the flower still stuck in his dark hair. Jack straightens up on wobbly legs and struggles to pull his pants back on.

“I’m sorry,” Gabriel says in a shaky voice. “I couldn’t…”

“It’s okay,” Jack assures him and huffs a laugh. “I just didn’t expect _this_.”

“I hope I didn’t hurt you much?” Gabriel doesn’t sound convinced enough and Jack steps closer, reaching out for him, pulling him closer and planting a kiss to his forehead.

“You didn’t. What you did felt really good, Gabe.”

The ruby eyes narrow, searching him, but then their expression grows tender again when Gabriel is finally satisfied with the answer in Jack’s blue ones.

“Never learnt how to be a romantic,” he says.

“Same here,” Jack grins. “Let’s head back home now shall we?”

“Yeah. Let’s head back _home_.”

Gabriel wraps his arms around Jack and they kiss, basked in the light of distant stars blinking in and out of existence.

 

***

 

Jack doesn’t really remember how they got back home that evening; he only remembers that Gabriel was surely the one driving all the rest of the way. In the morning his deep dreaming is interrupted by a persistent and annoying buzzing of notifications which keep popping up on the comms station. He grumbles quietly, tossing and turning in the sheets, not used to such lively, busy atmosphere in his living quarters. There’s also a soft tinkling sound of metal and the one so much easier to get used to– the sound of breakfast being cooked.

He reaches around and discovers that Gabriel has already left their bed. He rolls over onto his back then and before he has a chance to pry open his eyes he hears Gabriel’s exasperated sigh, a clang of a claw against keyboard and the soft sound of his computer screen being unlocked.

“He’s still sleeping, Ana,” Gabriel announces in his best dramatic “reaper” voice and Jack jolts into a sitting position in the blink of an eye. “Haven’t I told you to call _later_?”

“He’s not sleeping! He’s here!” Jack declares, sliding off the bed hurriedly and proceeding to pull on his pants and a t-shirt on the way.

He can hear Ana’s reply, but can’t make out what she is saying yet. Gabriel is sitting by the screen, dressed casually, with his legs crossed and with his mask on. He seems absolutely unstirred by Ana’s call and proceeds to fumble with one of his gauntlets, fixing it with a screwdriver and checking it expertly.

“Well. _He’s not sleeping_ ,” he comments, imitating Jack’s panicked voice. “Look at him jumping around.”

Jack, still drowsy and a little aghast, is already standing in the middle of the room, scratching the back of his head thoughtfully. It amuses him that Gabriel resorts to wearing the mask even in front of Ana.

She seems to share the sentiment.

“Good morning, Jack. It’s good to finally see you rested,” she says, and then proceeds to address Gabriel. “I know perfectly well what your face looks like now, Gabriel. There’s no need for this show.”

“ _You_ know my face but someone else might get to know it too,” he retorts nonchalantly. “I don’t trust these technologies.”

“I don’t think anyone’s gonna hack this comms station, Gabe. I took care of that,” Jack observes softly.

“Everything can be hacked. Even people.”

Jack only shrugs at this strange observation and walks up closer, folding his arms across his chest and leaning his hip against the table in the absence of a spare chair in the cabin.

“What are you two up to in here for god’s sake?” he asks.

Ana looks excited, her eye gleaming cheerfully. Jack hasn’t seen her like that in a while.

“While you were unavailable we’ve got something settled,” she announces.  

“You two? Have got something settled?” he raises a brow at that, pointing at Gabriel. “You said you didn’t trust this man.”

Gabriel scoffs and puts his gauntlet down before leveling Jack with what he’s sure is a blazing glare not deprived of some peevish spark behind the mask.

Jack lifts his hands in dismay.

“And I still don’t. But you two seem to be…content with each other.”  Ana smiles. “So I have little choice but to play along, whatever game he’s trying to get me into.”

“Hey! I’m sitting right here you know!” Gabriel protests. Jack chuckles and puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

Meanwhile on the screen, Ana rolls her eyes.

“Alright then, _you_ tell him,” she says, shaking her head.

“Okay,” Gabriel responds, tilting his head. “We decided to kill you.”

Jack’s heart skips a bit.

“What?!”

“Not literally, damn it,” Ana retorts to the low sound of Reaper’s chuckling. “We decided to inform Akande that you’re dead. Gabriel will tell him that he managed to kill you.”

Jack is at a loss for words both because of that unexpected decision and because of the fact that the two made such a decision without him.

“Ah…you sure he’s gonna buy that?” he asks.

“No, I am not,” Gabriel tells him. “But it’s better than me coming back there empty-handed after you running wild and killing his people.”

“I think it would be better if Gabriel brings something of yours as well. As a proof. Your pulse rifle or your visor. Maybe with your blood on it for good measure.”

“Hmph, that’s not going to be enough either,” Gabriel warns, drumming his clawed fingers on the table. “He’s going to need something more to be convinced.”

“But what else can you give him? You’ve already given him everything,” Jack says.

“And yet he’s right not to trust me entirely like he does with Amelie. Maybe I should bring him some data ‘stolen’ from your computer. Some data on…Overwatch plans, list of those who are still out there…names, numbers, whatever.”

“Well I ain’t giving him no fucking data!”

“I’m not asking you to. This data doesn’t have to be real. Like I said, it merely has to be _convincing_ enough. All we need is someone who can counterfeit it. And I’ve got just the right person in mind.”

“Sombra?” Jack asks.

“Yeah,” Gabriel nods, a bit surprised that Jack knows the name. “Sombra.”

“She helped us find you and get in contact with you when you were in Italy,” Ana explains from the other side of the screen. “If what Gabriel offers is true, this might be the real chance for us. It’s up to you to make the final decision here, Jack. You will have to go deeply undercover too; you will have to be very careful about your actions and you will have to give up your Soldier 76 part until the time is right to proceed with our plan.”

Jack rubs his stubbled chin and stays quiet for a while, pondering. A deep furrow runs across his forehead. At last he shakes his head, looking down.

“You know I don’t approve of this plan. Just like I didn’t approve of your crazy ass idea to infiltrate Talon few years back, Gabe. We’re going to face the risk of you being exposed completely instead,” he says and steals a careful glance at Gabriel. “But I trust you to do it.”

“Just like you used to?”

“Just like I used to.”

“Khm… There’s also another matter I would like to discuss with you _in private_ , Jack,” Ana notes. She seems to be getting short of patience. “I will leave you two for now because you obviously have a lot of _information to process._

“Take care and stay in touch, Ana. I will get back to you,” Jack tells her, sensing Gabriel’s searching gaze still fixed on him.

“Will you take your damn mask off now?” Jack asks him at last as soon as she disconnects.

Gabriel huffs a laugh and pulls the thing off his face.

“I’ve gotten so used to it I sometimes forget…,” he gets cut off by Jack leaning down and stealing a kiss from him.

“I just want you to know that you are not alone in this, Gabe,” he says, nuzzling at his cheek, inhaling his scent. “You are not alone now and I am sorry that you had to go through all this.”

Gabriel seems to be taken by surprise, touched deeply by Jack’s passionate sentiment.

“I...it wasn’t your fault entirely. I made the decision and I would’ve gone through with it anyway. With or without you.”

“Why are you so willing to sacrifice yourself like that, uh? Just say one word and we will stop, you don’t have to go out there anymore, you don’t have to do this.”

“But I _have to_ , Jack. I do this – to keep _you_ safe. From them. From all of this”

Jack tightens his grip on Gabriel’s shoulder, his heart throbbing with warmth and a peculiar tender feeling he refuses to admit but knows is there, as strong as ever. There’s that feeling again, of falling, of sinking deeper as it sips dangerously through his bones and to his very core, shaking him.

He pushes away from the table and lands into Gabriel’s lap, wrapping his arms around his neck and carding his fingers through his hair and kissing him, kissing him again and again until his lips go numb and all he tastes is Gabriel, everywhere on his skin. Gabriel seems to become more real, more present in his life, no longer needing to be warmed up to feel alive, no longer cold and distant, no longer lost in netherworld.

“Please, don’t say such things to me,” Jack says.

“Why? Too soft for your hardcore ego?”

“So soft I might get heart attack. Not as young anymore.”

“You’re in fact younger than me or have you forgotten?”

“I haven’t,” Jack shakes his head. “I want the same, Gabe. For you to be safe. Or are you planning to abandon me entirely while proceeding with your plan?”

“That’s why I’m here. For you to help me. Because you’re the only one I can trust. So let’s do this crazy shit together, mhm?”

Gabriel’s eyes are burning with passion Jack easily recognizes and tenderly admires.

“Okay,” he says at last, warm in Gabriel’s arms. “ Let’s do this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued...  
> (oh my, this might happen to be my longest fic yet)


	4. Outcasts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe they can’t fight time, but anything else - they can and they will, so they linger, drawing strength from each other, sharing it, giving and taking it in the safe shadows of their faraway shelter.
> 
> An enemy awakens in the depth of the woods, an enemy Talon has never known and doesn’t suspect to be alive. Once it licks its wounds clean, it will reveal itself and it will strike back with doubled force.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, this one turned out a bit longer than I initially planned but I. Just. Can't. Help. It with these two. Practically writing my heart out

**iv. Outcasts**

 

The dawn is barely breaking, a stripe of pink outside the window, and the last summer birds start their song for it. Jack is sitting in a chair, watching Gabriel sleep. He could probably do something useful since he’s already awake, could go to the kitchen and make breakfast, could go check on the yet-again-failing generator in the basement… But on that particular morning he doesn’t want to make any noises, he doesn’t want to wake Gabriel up. He doesn’t want _this_ to end and he isn’t sure anymore if Talon is a reason worthy enough for it. Maybe they could just stay here, just the two of them, far away and desolated from everyone and everything else, until the world moves on for yet another time. But he also realizes that it’s merely his wishful thinking taking over, just because they’re not built this way, just because they are the only chance the world might have against another war, another Omnic Crisis. That’s why they are here after all, that’s why they stayed alive, although to the world they’re dead...

“Always the first one to self-sacrifice ain’t you?” Jack whispers, watching Gabriel’s sleeping form. “You just won’t let _me_ do this instead.” 

_Maybe, because he knows that I most definitely would‘ve,_ he thinks.

Gabriel’s coat is still hanging forgotten over the arm rest of the chair and Jack touches it, curious, fingers skidding over the soft and smooth material. All of a sudden, part of it that he touches transforms into wisps of black smoke and whirls around his wrist. By now Jack has gotten so used to such occurrences that he doesn’t even pay much attention to it until the coat fully comes to life and worms its way up his arm, tightening around his shoulders, enveloping his whole body in a matter of seconds, until he is trapped inside of it. 

“The fuck?” he whispers, quietly attempting to peel it off, but to no avail. 

“I can feel it you know,” he hears Gabriel’s voice coming from their bed. 

When he sees Gabriel stretching out lazily, yawning and then smiling at him, completely unstirred by the fact that his coat is living its own life, Jack relaxes a little as well, stops struggling with the damn thing.

“How?” he wonders. 

“Perks of working with Talon,” Gabriel says, sitting up slowly, eyes fixed on Jack. “They really do bring everything to a whole new level. Even when it comes to articles of clothing. This one looks _so good_ on you by the way.”

“That’s some fine leather,” Jack states, feeling the material that clings so pleasingly to his figure. He flushes too, fluttered by Gabriel’s compliment.

“Finest full grain leather modified with a bit of some enhanced biomaterial.”

“…Your biomaterial?”

“Well, initially it was mine, but they altered it to some extent.”

“Can you really feel me touching it?” Jack asks, sliding his hands down his sides.

“Not really. I’m just aware that someone else is wearing it,” Gabriel says. “It can be used as a weapon too. It can kill. If you stand up you’ll also feel that it’s almost weightless, despite how heavy it looks.”

Jack does just so and discovers that it’s true. The coat seems to still be “adjusting” to his body, clasping at his bulkier form. Jack opens the coat-tails and peers inside. 

“What about the guns?” he wonders. 

“Same principle. Different matter to work with. Basically they just...turn into smoke and get back to me. The coat is tailored to accommodate six of them.”

“The one who made this must know you on a truly personal level,” Jack notes not without a spark of jealousy in his voice. 

“With the exception of base material, I made it myself.” 

Jack’s mouth hangs open and he is speechless for a few seconds. 

“Are you saying that you tailored this coat all by yourself??” he wonders. 

“Yes. This one and many others. Along with something else. I am getting pretty good at that.”

Jack quirks a brow at him.

“Something else?” he muses, his thoughts taking all the wrong directions at once, his blood rushes south.

“I’ll show you later if you like,” Gabriel promises.

Jack walks up to him deliberately, the tails of Gabriel’s coat gently flapping at his calves.

“I would _love_ that.”

Gabriel is looking at him strangely, longingly and somewhat grievingly as if he’s seeing him for the last time and is trying to drink in all of him but not quite dares. He leans closer to Jack as Jack places one knee on the bed and puts both of his hands on Gabriel’s shoulders, massaging them gently. He then reaches down to brush his bared chest before his hand snakes lower, to his abdomen where Jack discovers exactly what he expects and wants to discover.

“Do we need to take care of something?” he asks good-humoredly. 

Gabriel smiles at him but the smile is brief and faint. He pushes Jack away slightly. 

“No, Jackie, no,” he says. 

And suddenly Jack understands the look in his eyes: Gabriel’s already weaving himself back into his ‘reaper’ persona, already working hard to push Jack away together with any moments of tenderness they shared. 

He nods then and backs away at once, his heart throbbing in dull expectation of the inevitable. 

Gabriel outstretches his right arm and the coat slips down Jack’s body immediately. It ghosts over to its true owner, snuggly enveloping his naked body in full armor. 

Helpless, Jack watches him get out of the bed, head towards the chair, pick up his bullets strap and start adjusting it. Through greeted teeth Jack turns away too and shuffles towards the nightstand where his visor is already waiting,

“You gonna need this, right?” he asks gingerly, picking the visor up and facing Gabriel again while trying to avoid looking directly at him.

“Gonna need some blood too,” Gabriel tells him, gliding closer. “Give me your arm.”

Jack obediently rolls up the sleeve of his shirt and offers his arm to him, exposing the tender unprotected skin.

Gabriel’s fingers squeeze around it a bit too tightly, making Jack wince. 

“Sorry,” Gabriel tells him, caressing the fresh angry marks on his skin with the talon of his gauntlet. “I need to make it real.”

“It’s fine. Take it as you need it, Reaper.”

Gabriel growls at that, brings his pointer finger up to Jack’s skin and Jack observes with fascination as whiffs of smoke envelop the talon, making it longer and sharper, sharp as a paper-cutter. It cuts swiftly, unseen to the untrained eye, lacerating the skin with surgical precision and Jack only registers the wound when it starts to bleed. Not heavily. Just enough to drip a tiny trickle onto the visor. 

“That will do,” Reaper declares and moves his arm away.

“Take more if you need to,” Jack insists. 

“No need.” 

The wraith then floats swiftly into the kitchen, resolutely navigates his way to one of the shelves and turns back with a medical kit. 

Silently, Jack lets him take care of the now gnawing cut: to clean it and to bandage it. He does it all deftly and skillfully, never looking up at Jack.

After that he picks up his Reaper mask from the table and hurries directly towards the door. 

Jack feels as if a huge chunk of his heart and soul is being torn and dragged away together with him but he stands still, without saying a word. If that what it takes… 

Instead it is Gabriel who pauses at the threshold, breaking the silence with a heavy sigh. The situation is so familiar and yet so different this time for both of them. Jack’s lover hesitates for a second, as if pondering whether it’s time to put the mask on or not quite yet. At last his shoulders relax and he tilts his head just a little to steal a glance at Jack, but that’s all Jack needs to get the hint. 

He closes the distance between them, grabs Gabriel by the folds of his coat and pulls him aside, away from the virgin light of the day falling from the open door and into the safety of their newly found home, pushing his hood down and claiming his lips, crashing his lips into Gabriel’s. The kiss is urgent and heated and passionate and it makes Jack shudder, makes him weak at the knees and lightheaded. 

Time passes and they slow down the pace but still can’t let go off each other. At last Gabriel closes his fingers around Jack’s neck and pushes him away gently, not quite unwillingly fueling him further on by the action. 

“Don’t you dare do anything stupid out there,” Jack urges him. “Cause I’ll be waiting for you.”

“Says the man who already _did_ something stupid,” Gabriel retorts, caressing Jack’s chest and watching his reddened swollen lips greedily. “I will stay in touch. Watch your comm.”

“I will.”

They kiss again and Gabriel makes a point of tickling Jack’s neck with his beard, making them both chuckle before they get serious once again. With a deft motion of his hand Gabriel produces something shiny out of the chest pocket of his coat - a ring. He turns it between his gauntleted claws once before demonstrating it to Jack. 

Jack’s blue eyes widen in surprise and awe, joy sparkling in them. 

“You remember this?” Reaper asks.

“Hell yeah I do,” he responds. 

It is the very ring he gave Gabriel back in their past life. It wasn’t quite a symbol of commitment, rather a sign of affection for each of them to carry as a reminder when they had to stay apart for too long. It was nothing really, just a trinket, but now it has more value to him than any finest piece of gold - because turns out Gabriel kept it all this time, somewhere close to his heart. 

“Do you still have yours?” Gabriel inquires in a silky voice, smiling discreetly. 

“I do,” Jack responds. He doesn’t carry it out of fear to lose it but keeps it tucked away safely here, in the box in his nightstand. It is probably one of the reasons he keeps coming back to this place once and again. 

“Will you wear it for me while I’m away?” 

“I will, Gabe.” 

Gabriel has always put much importance into sacred meaning of things and Jack is only glad to see that he still does. It is just one more proof that he’s still the same Gabriel he knew back when he gave him the ring, admitting something more than just his soldier loyalty to him, admitting to him _his heart_. 

For a while they stay, leaning against the wall and facing each other, just watching and caressing each other as if attempting to learn each new scar, each new wrinkle by heart, to have something to get back to when they go dark places and face the enemy. And for some reason it’s so much harder to pull apart now than ever before - probably because each pull might be their last one, because they are worn down and exhausted and cornered by cruel time passing them by. But no enemy can ever stop them as long as they are holding on to each other and they have learnt this so well. Maybe they can’t fight time, but anything else - they can and they will, so they linger, drawing strength from each other, sharing it, giving and taking it in the safe shadows of their faraway shelter.

An enemy awakens in the depth of the woods, an enemy Talon has never known and doesn’t suspect to be alive. Once it licks its wounds clean, it will reveal itself and it will strike back with doubled force. 

 

***

 

When Gabriel is gone Jack returns to their bed and sits down onto it, hiding his face in the palms of his hands. He is motionless and quiet for a long while and in the semi-darkness of the morning he looks like an ancient warrior cursed by the gods and turned into stone to forever contemplate on the fate of the world, to bear responsibility for all its sins.

With a grunt he stirs back to life and reaches for the nightstand. He opens the shelf and rummages through the junk accumulated there during the past few years of his lonely life – empty gun shells, rifle parts, bullets and various schematics he used to build and improve his heavy-pulse rifle after he stole it from Grand Mesa. At last he finds it – a small box made of cardboard, dusty, yellowed and battered by time. He opens it to discover that at one point he was so drunk he used it to store some rusty bolts and screws. Jack shakes his head, emptying the contents of the box onto the nightstand and moving all the unnecessary stuff aside until all that’s left is a simple ring.

Reverently, he brings it up to his eyes and studies it closely as if he’s seeing it for the first time. He remembers so clearly the day Gabriel gave it to him back in Gibraltar. They were on a mission and at some point he just took Jack by the hand and led him away from the rest of the team, to where there were no people and only the sea waves were crushing violently against the rocks. He remembers so clearly how he kept protesting, telling Gabriel that they had no time for this, that they needed to get back and stick to the mission instead of this and then…he remembers so clearly: Gabriel’s special smile and that spark in his eyes, and the way he held his hands close to his chest and tilted his head. He remembers flushing furiously under his searching gaze, looking at the azure sea and the distant ships as Gabriel was whispering into his ear the words that made him forget all about the mission, and the duty, and the rest of the world – everything else, while he slipped the ring on the finger of Jack’s left hand.

_“I would lay my life down for you, Jackie.”_

And he certainly did…

The older, weary Jack is smiling crookedly at the memory as it mercilessly tugs at the strings of his battle-scarred heart. He slips the ring on his finger only to discover that it fits a bit loosely now - his hands seem to have grown thinner with age. He would certainly lose it like that. Jack contemplates the ring as it sparks on his ringer finger for a while, then removes it and places it on the chain around his neck instead, wearing it securely together with his dog tags.  

Later that day he calls Ana on a matter she wanted to discuss with him so urgently. Vaguely, he suspected what exactly she wanted to talk to him about and the prospect of the talk doesn’t make him feel enthusiastic, merely nervous and unsure.

“Hey, Ana,” he says, propping up his chin with the palm of his hand as Ana appears on the screen.

“Hello, Jack,” she replies. “Are you alone?”

“Yes, I am. He’s gone now.”

“I hope everything is fine between the two of you?”

“Yes,” Jack says, instinctively bringing his hand up to his chest, where the ring is now hidden against his skin. “Yes, everything’s fine.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Let’s hope Gabriel’s plan will work.”

“Yeah, I sure hope it will,” Jack says, rubbing his check.

“Don’t worry; he’s not alone in this anymore.”

“But he’s alone out there _now_.”

“No, he isn’t.”

“You mean Sombra? Sombra is dangerous and shady. I wouldn’t put much trust in her right now, even though she’s been helpful to us.”

“She might be dangerous, but she’s proven to us, and more than once, that she’s working against Talon. Whatever goals she might be pursuing, this one’s certainly the same as ours.”

“Doesn’t prove shit to me, Ana.”

Ana sighs. When she speaks again, her voice is trembling slightly.

“Winston contacted me, Jack. The team is ready to be assembled. For the first time in all these years. Most of them are eager to meet with you again. Whether you wanted this or not, the world has been missing you.”

Jack looks away, rubbing the back of his head. Inside of him there is a struggle but he knows that he can’t stop this now, that he’s agreed to do it and there’s no going back. The landslide will keep on rolling and he has some personal scores he still needs to settle.

“When are we planning to do this?” he asks.

“It depends on whether or not you’re willing to bring Gabriel into this meeting.”

“I am,” Jack replies with no hesitation. “If he wants to, of course, and if the situation will allow him.”

Ana nods.

“Then, for the time being, we will wait,” she says. “I hope you do understand what a risk it is to bring him out there, though. Most of our people will be sure that he is a traitor. It may compromise our plan entirely.”

“I understand that. Just as I understand that even you still don’t trust him enough.”

“Well…”

“If these people are willing to see me as their commander again, they would trust my judgement on _this_ matter at least. We are not Talon, Ana. And what makes us different from them – is compassion, hope and the ability to forgive other’s mistakes. The mistakes were mine, not Gabriel’s. And I can only hope that they will understand that. And accept him. Otherwise I won’t be able to help Overwatch. Or whatever’s left of it.”

“I know, Jack. I might not trust Gabriel, yes. But I know that you won’t work with us without him. I won’t tell the rest of the team about him though if you don’t mind.”

“Yes, please don’t. Would be better this way,” Jack sighs. “When the time is right I will take care of it myself.”

“Has he contacted you yet?” she asks him carefully.

“No. It’s still too early. But if he doesn’t contact me in the next 24 hours, I’m gonna head out there and...”

“Jack…”

“Don’t try to stop me, Ana. I ain’t gonna take no shit from Talon anymore. Even if things go fine, we’ll have to act quickly.”

“What happened to him?”

“He’s sacrificed himself for us. That’s what happened. And he’s still doing it now.”

Ana is silent.  

“I wish I could talk to him again,” she says thoughtfully at last.

“Me too.”

“I won’t bother you any further, then. Take care of yourself.”

“Ana,” Jack says, before she has a chance to disconnect.

“Yes?”

“Thank you. For everything you’re doing for me. For us.”

Ana smiles at him.

“That’s the least I could do for you. You’re my family after all.”

 

***

 

Each hour that follows is worse than any torture and Jack is pacing about the cabin, feeling totally useless, unable to push back the merciless grinding wheel of fate. Maybe he should’ve headed out right after Gabriel instead? Maybe he should’ve been prepared to come to his aid in case things go wrong? He understands that Gabriel wouldn’t have wanted this but still he can’t help thinking that he left him all alone with no prospect to succeed. He tries to put himself in Gabriel’s place and can’t even begin to imagine what hell he might be going through out there right now.

Now and again he would walk up to his pulse rifle, determined to head out, to do …anything although he doesn’t know exactly what. Then he would hesitate; ponder his actions and his promise to Gabriel to refrain from doing anything stupid. _That’s exactly what you will be doing again,_ he thinks to himself, turning away from the prospect.

Nearly 24 hours passes since his talk with Ana and he’s beyond himself with worry when the call finally happens. By this time he’s thought over every possible worst outcome of events to the finest details and his mind is practically screaming to take action. Jack rushes to the comm station with such speed that sparks are flying from under his heels. His hair is mussed and his chin is stubbed. He probably hasn’t eaten anything during these past hours and hasn’t slept at all. But all of that doesn’t matter now.

There’s nothing on the screen for a while, only static, and the pattern is somewhat familiar to him.

“Gabe?” he calls, peering into the static lines in hope to see the familiar shape. “Is that you? Answer me.”

Silence.

Jack turns the screen off and on again just in case but nothing changes.

“It’s not him,” the static suddenly informs and his heart sinks.

Presently the screen clears out and he sees a beautiful girl smiling at him as she adjusts the camera.

“It’s me,” she says, waving at him. “Hey there, _amigo_. _¿Qué tal?”_

He might not know her face, but he recognizes her voice at once.

“Sombra?” Jack’s eyes are searching the screen, his heart beats wildly somewhere in his throat.

She winks at him and brings a finger to her mouth to shush him.

“I can’t see you but you sound _so worried_!” she says. “Don’t worry. Your _compañero_ is here too and he wants to tell you something.”

She adjusts the camera one more time and, satisfied with the angle, moves aside nimbly. Reaper appears in her stead and Jack lets out a long sigh of relief, hanging his head low, tense line of his shoulders, outlined sharply against the light from the screen, finally relaxing.

“Gabriel,” he says, his voice shaking. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” the masked figure replies. There’s a noise behind him and he glances back impatiently. Jack can see that Sombra has rolled up a chair for him.

“Sit down, old man, you are too close,” she says. “He will see us perfectly from here.”

Reaper growls at her but accepts the chair and lands into it. Jack drinks in the sight of him, relieved to see him alive and seemingly well. How could he ever not trust Gabriel enough to do this? Jack smirks and shakes his head.

“This is Sombra,” Gabriel informs him, motioning at the purple-haired girl by his side. “She’s agreed to help us.”

“Oh, he knows me, _amado_ ,” Sombra teases. “We’ve met before. Not in person, of course.”

She puts her arms around Gabriel’s shoulders and looks smugly into the camera.

“Yeah, we’ve worked together,” Jack admits, watching her closely.

“ _Déjame en paz!"_ Reaper grumbles at her and Sombra laughs, shifting away deliberately.

“So angry,” she scoffs. “Don’t worry, Jack, he’s all yours now. Seems like you’re the only topic the man can talk about.”

“Let’s get down to business maybe?” Reaper suggests with clear irritation in his voice.

_Sombra must be really talented_ , Jack thinks. _If he tolerates her antics like this._

 “Tell me how it went?” he asks, his tone more composed and formal now.

“It went alright. You’re officially presumed dead,” Gabriel tells him and Sombra giggles before she is shushed by him again.

“Good job,” Jack tells them. Reaper nods. “What now?”

“Now we wait, see what steps Akande’s willing to take next. And act accordingly.”

 “Will you have to stay there?”

“I will. For now.”

There’s a pause, made awkward by Sombra’s “ _Awww, how sweet, missing each other already.”_

“We won’t be able to stay in touch with you all the time,” she then says, finally serious. “But I’ll do my best to keep you informed. Your _compañero_ will have to be more careful. Means he won’t be able to disappear from the base without reporting to Akande about his whereabouts first. Akande is growing more suspicious.”

“I see,” Jack says.

He also needs to inform Gabriel about the meeting he and Ana have planned but he’s not sure he can tell him in front of Sombra.

“If you need my assistance, don’t hesitate to contact me,” he urges.

“We will.”

“We make nice team with ‘Gabe’ here,” Sombra says.

Reaper looks at her expectantly.

_“_ Fine! _Buenas noches,”_ she says, then waves at Jack and suddenly disappears.

“Can we trust her?” Jack asks him when she is gone.

Reaper nods in reply.

“You alright?” he asks, tilting his head, his voice sounds softer now.

“Yes,” Jack blurts out automatically while in truth he needs badly to tell Gabriel how he really feels at the moment.

“Wish I could see you too,” Reaper tells him, looking around nervously.

Jack fights the urge to reach out and caress the screen.

“The team wants to gather a meeting,” he says instead. “I want you to be there too.”

“Is that so?” Gabriel asks.

“If you want to, of course,” Jack specifies.

“I might have something _for you_ to tell them then,” Gabriel says, ignoring the offer. Jack doesn’t pressure him further. “Akande has…plans. You might consider it an opportunity.”

“I see. Don’t rush things though, be careful out there. Do you understand?”

“I’ve managed to convince him. But I don’t know for how long…”

“We’ll deal with it.”

Gabriel tilts his head, listening closely to some noises outside unheard to Jack.

“I will have to go now,” he concludes. “Stay in touch.”

When the screen goes dark Jack lands into a chair heavily, thanking all the gods for the fact that things seem to be working out for now.  

“It’s fine,” he tells himself. “It’s gonna be fine.”

 

***

 

Jack doesn’t hear much neither from Gabriel nor from Sombra after their video session. He figures that something occurred and now they have to stay under the radar. On the other hand, Sombra establishes correspondence with him via e-mail, going under the nickname _purple_fettuccine_ , which, by all means, is making Jack highly uncomfortable.

But he has no other option in the matter because she seems to be the only person who _knows_ how to stay in touch and leak Talon’s information to him. Soon he also suspects that Gabriel writes from her account as well once in a while because the tone of the messages varies from time to time.

 

_purple_fettuccine: How are you doing, boy scout? Hanging on out there in the woods?_

_John123: That’s the question I should ask you I guess. Tell me about your progress._

_purple_fettuccine: Not much to tell yet. John. (seriously??what kind of nickname is that)_

_John123: One that’s better than talking fettuccine._

_purple_fettuccine : Keep your opinion to yourself, John. I find this nickname quite original_

_John123: Just…keep me posted._

A week passes after his video call with Gabriel and Sombra, and first cold strikes as unexpectedly as a thief in the night, announcing the upcoming winter. Jack stocks up on firewood and food, he’s grown quite paranoid of going out and driving to the mall, fearing that he might be recognized by those who shouldn’t know he’s still alive. So he’s buying as much as he can take away and stays inside for days on end, sitting by the cracking fire, bundled up into his favorite hoodie that still carries Gabriel’s scent. Loneliness is eating away at him more than ever before now that he seems to have gained that second chance with the man he loves. He misses him constantly and tries to distract himself with domestic chores, with studying profiles of former Overwatch members and figuring out Talon’s possible moves together with Ana.

The days grow shorter and he can only hope that _purple_fettuccine_ are doing their best to keep their head down while obtaining all the necessary information. A week later he receives an anonymous call roughly at 2am. The call is coming directly to his earpiece, not the comm station and Jack hesitates to answer it for a long while. He stares at the blinking earpiece trying to understand what’s going on, fighting the urge to just get back to sleep. The call is persistent though and in the end he gets irritated and decides to take it.

“Yes?”

“It’s me.”

He would recognize that voice anywhere. Jack sits up in bed with a groan and cards his fingers through his hair.

“Do you have any idea what time it is?”

“Must be about 2am out there.”

“Yeah, exactly!”

“Are you asking me to fuck off?”

“No,” Jack argues in a calmer tone. “It’s fine.”

He can hear a distant noise of sirens and traffic, the howling of the wind.

“Where are you?” he asks, rubbing his eyes.

“Out.”

“I…I get that. _Where_ are you exactly?”

“Does it matter, Jack? I just needed to be alone, okay? To call you.”

“Right. What’s the matter then?”

He can hear Reaper sigh.

“Well, first of all, Akande is planning to throw a party. A grand event where all the major players will be invited. I mean, everyone. Great opportunity to _get them all._ If you know what I mean. I will be there for sure. Figured you might be interested to come along.”

Gabriel’s voice sounds determined and full of unprecedented hatred, bitterness.

“I will be there. Absolutely,” Jack says, sleep abandoning him all of a sudden, leaving him fully awake and stirred to anger too. Will this be it? Will this work? “What about the meeting? Will you join us or will we have to start without you?”

“I’m heading out back to your place in a few days. I’ll think about it on the way.”

Jack’s heart starts beating faster, he clutches at the ring on his chest.

“Is that so?” he asks, a poorly concealed excitement in his voice.

“Yes. There’s something else I need to tell you,” Reaper says, lowering his voice.

“What is it?”

There is a pause and Jack is aware of his every heartbeat.

“I miss you.”

Jack brings the ring up to his lips.

“Miss you too.”

“Will you be thinking about me during these few days?”

Jack chuckles.

“I’ve been thinking about you all the time. Of course I will.”

“Jack,” Reaper breathes out and his voice comes out shaky.

“Yes?”

“Will you touch yourself while thinking about me?”

Jack feels his cheeks blush furiously despite the cold night. Instantly, he is hard under the sheets. Well, he’s been doing this too as a matter of fact…

 “Damn. I…I will, yeah…”

There’s an uncertain sound, a barely restrained moan on the other end of the comm.

“How will you do it, mhm?”

Jack’s hand moves across the sheets, meaning to reach between his legs, but he restrains himself, cards his fingers through his hair once again instead and laughs nervously.

“Sex over the phone, really, Gabe?” he asks.

“Why not? You don’t think it will work?”

“Oh, it will. I’m just…not really into this shit and you know it.”

“I thought you might have changed your principles. It’s been a while.”

“It sure has.”

There’s silence again and neither of them wants to end this talk suddenly turned so heated. Jack is barely resisting the temptation to do just as Reaper asked of him. He becomes aware that he’s been panting into the earpiece and bites his lower lip in attempt to calm down. He also can hear that Reaper is breathing just the same way and the thought alone makes him stiff.

“Will you record it for me then?” Reaper suddenly asks.

Jack laughs, remembering how they used to do it in the past while away from each other for too long. Are those times really coming back now?

“Not until _you_ do this first,” he argues, smiling.

“Huh. Still don’t trust me enough?”

“I do. I just don’t trust that associate of yours. How are you gonna send this?”

“Are you afraid that she might watch it?” Jack can clearly hear amusement in Gabriel’s voice now.

 “Well…”

“She won’t. She isn’t much into this stuff you know. Besides, she’s away now, in another country. She has her own plans to pursue. But okay, I’ll do it first.”

“Really?”

“Do you want this or not?”

Jack licks his lips.

“I do.”

“Fine then.”

Later that night Jack receives an e-mail from _purple_fettuccine_ containing a single video file with restricted access. Jack hesitates to open it at first out of fear that it might actually be some virus. He just sits there in front of the screen, hand lingering over the “Open” command but not daring to activate it. 

Another e-mail notification pops up on the screen,

 

_purple_fettuccine: do it…_

Jack looks around warily as if someone might be watching him from the shadows.

“Fuck it,” he says, and presses the command at last.

The video starts playing and what he sees is making him flush, making him hot all over until his toes start curling on their own and he thinks he might come just by looking alone. He turns the sound on and his ears are instantly filled with Gabriel’s delicious broken moans mixed with the sounds of his name flowing from under the mask. Jack bites the knuckles of his hand and lets out a stiff groan. He reaches down under the band of his pants and he can’t help it, he’s too tempted. The video is short, only few minutes long but it’s more than enough for him and when Gabriel comes, he follows.

Spent, he’s watching the end of it, watching Gabriel’s…Reaper’s body covered in a fine sheen of sweat, arching tentatively as the camera drone shifts over it, up to his masked face.

Jack watches him greedily, imagining that it was him who brought him to this blissful state, not that pink sex toy now lying forgotten between his legs where he wants to be…, needs to be.

“Damn it, Gabriel,” Jack whispers to the screen. “You’re so good.”

He returns to bed soon, and when he wakes up on the following morning, the memory of that video is still fresh, still stirring him to full hardness, so he produces a bottle of lube from the nightstand, together with an old camera and does his best to prepare a full and detailed reply.

 

***

 

Gabriel stays true to his word and returns in three days. The two of them agree that Jack would pick him up half way because despite the fact that _“Reaper travels alone and needs no ride”_ Jack also doesn’t feel comfortable with Gabriel having to go all the way to him on his own again, especially in these risky times when they should raise no suspicion and cover their tracks as best they can. Besides, he’s been missing Gabriel way too long and can’t wait to see him.

_He’s got all the material now to blackmail you as he pleases_ , a tiny voice inside his head keeps telling him and it sounds so much like Ana’s. He does his best to shut it out.

He drives up to the appointed location earlier then he was planning to and has to wait for a few more minutes before a man manifests from the shadows of the hazy morning, dressed in a black leather jacket and black jeans, with a bag in his hands. Deftly, he opens the door to Jack’s truck and slips inside.

“Hey,” Jack welcomes him, pulling back onto the almost deserted road with no hesitation.

“Hey,” Reaper responds and, as they drive away, he looks back briefly one more time before pushing the hood of his jacket down. He wears no mask.

They drive on as the landscape changes around them in brilliant sprays of late autumn. Green, yellow, red. Soon the day enraptures the land and the sun starts shining brightly right through the windscreen. Jack winces at it. The silence between the two of them is hanging pregnant, but not in the uncomfortable way.

“Made us some dinner,” Jack says matter-of-factly, lowering the sunvisor and stealing a glance at Gabriel. “Some _proper dinner_ , as you’d say.”

“Good,” Gabriel responds. He looks tired and pale. Jack is pretty sure that to the touch he’s still as cold as ice, just like the coming winter. An inevitable side-effect of that place he’s returned from.  Jack wants to fire him up with life again. “What about the cake?”

Jack smiles crookedly.

“Freshly bought too.”

“Nice. I’m looking forward to it then.”

They take to the right, driving out onto an almost roadless terrain. Jack switches his truck to “float” mode, and they glide over the bumps and swamps and hollows in the ground, leaving no trace behind as they proceed deeper into the comforting shelter of the woods.

Jack slows the truck down then, the sound of its engine reducing to a mere quiet puffing before they come to a full stop.

Gabriel doesn’t say a word, doesn’t ask him why they stopped because he might have guessed already – leaning into Jack’s touch when he reaches out to caress the side of his face. Jack palm closes over his nape and he gently pulls him closer, until their lips meet in a slow passionate kiss. He sighs into it and when they finally break apart he presses his forehead to Jack’s, the tip of his nose brushing against Jack’s cheek.

“You’re so cold,” Jack observes, gently rubbing his neck.

“Better now that I’m with you,” Gabriel replies.

Jack nods, pecking him on the lips once more and making him smile.

“Let’s get you home and warm you up then, shall we?” he says.

At home they lit a fire in the still warm hearth and have dinner together, quietly discussing all the intel they managed to gather during the past days. Gabriel informs Jack that he’s not coming back to his Talon quarters anymore, that he’s finally ready to deal with Doomfist and his people and he’s got all the information on them he needed. Final point will be the party Akande is throwing in a week. Jack listens attentively to him, and then promises that he will do all in his power to bring more people to their side, to help him enact his retribution upon Talon. _Their_ retribution.

Hesitantly, Gabriel agrees to come to the meeting of former Overwatch team, although Jack can see that he is not willing to do this at all and agrees only for Jack’s sake. On his part, he has no idea how Gabriel is going to face them all when they will surely think that he is a traitor and will accuse him of that, but Jack assures him that he won’t have to talk and to make any excuses to them. He will take care of everything and they will be able to understand that what Gabriel did was done with good intentions. Jack refrains from mentioning the part where Gabriel might have actually lost himself along the way. He has his own plans for bringing him back from that “reaper” condition and he’s willing to do his best to truly cure him one day. He deems it his personal mission. The one he will have to accomplish before his own life comes to an end.

After dinner they both proceed into the shower, easing off most naturally from mission matters to the more intimate ones. Hot water seems to be slowly awakening Gabriel from his deep state of “reaper-ness”, although Jack can see that it will probably take few days or even weeks to shake him off completely, until “Gabriel” is truly revealed beneath that mask. He’s learning all the new sides of him pretty quickly, getting to know how to treat him in the right way. He traces the sharp lines of Gabriel’s face with his thumbs, cards his fingers through his hair, cropped short once again although he’s sure that it’s not for long. He washes his body with soap and shower puff, sensing how distant the man really is from him right now, while it’s clear that he’s still there, paying close attention to what Jack is doing, his hands travelling along Jack’s back and sides, moving up to his chest and his neck, mirroring his own soothing motions.

“I loved the video you sent me by the way,” Jack tells him, kissing the tip of his nose, the corner of his mouth. “Thought you weren’t into those toys.”

“I am not. Was kinda desperate,” Gabriel says, shifting closer. Jack wraps his arms around him and kisses him deeply, sucking on his lower lip, making the kiss linger. They break apart with urgent gasps echoing each other, short of breath.

“Watched it way too many times while you were away.”

“Is that so?” Gabriel asks with a wicked smile. His eyes flash red to match his flushed cheeks.

“Yeah. You’re so cruel to me, Gabe. You know I’ve only got two hands.”

Gabriel laughs at that and Jack joins him, stealing more kisses from him in the process.

“Yours was pretty good too,” Gabriel tells him.

“Pretty good? That’s… fluttering,” Jack retorts.

“Okay, it was too damn good. I will keep it for personal use. For science.”

 “Or we could blackmail each other with those.”

“We could blackmail the hell out of each other.”

Jack kisses his neck, the line of his jaw.

“First let me fuck you, sweetheart,” he says, and all of a sudden he lifts Gabriel in his arms. Gabriel grabs at his shoulders, trying his best to avoid hurting him with the claws.

“Are you crazy, old man?” he exclaims, wrapping his legs around Jack’s waist and turning into smoke from waist down to be lighter in weight. “I’m heavy as hell.”

“Not at all,” Jack muses.

“Yeah, well. You’d be on the floor by now, in pieces, if not for my... abilities.”

“Bullshit,” Jack retorts, reaching up to kiss Gabriel. He can’t stop himself.

Just like that, in his arms, he carries him out of the shower and onto their small bed that’s become a special sacred place for the two of them during the last few months. Gabriel pushes Jack down onto it, assuming fully human form once again and straddles him. He makes a show of lubing himself up before sinking down onto him, desperately hard by then. They take it slow and savor every moment, Jack caressing Gabriel’s thighs, guiding him, watching, mesmerized, the way he arches for him, the way he throws his head back in pleasure and drinking in the wanton sounds he is making.

Jack pushes into him, holding him down by his thighs and when they start trembling with strain he picks up the pace, almost seeing stars from the desperate pleasure building inside him. Gabriel finds purchase in his chest with one hand, while his other one is stroking his hard cock in synch with Jack’s thrusts. He doesn’t take his burning lust-glazed eyes off Jack and Jack is completely transfixed by him. The muscles of Gabriel’s abdomen stiffen and Jack snakes one hand around to his ass, trailing it along his cleft and sliding one finger in gently, along with his dick. Gabriel gasps then, growls loudly and stiffens around him, coming all over his chest. Jack fucks him through it, then embraces him and, staying inside, flips them around so that Gabriel is beneath him now- his body pliant and loose for him. He buries his heated face in the crook of Gabriel’s neck and proceeds to take him until he finally spills deep inside of him, in the safety of his strong arms wrapped around him, encouraging him to give more, to give all of himself.

They fall asleep almost immediately, exhausted after the long day of travel, but Jack wakes up somewhere in the middle of the night, awoken but the violent bursts of the wind outside that are shaking the tiny cabin like fairytale monsters. He brings his hand up to his forehead, remembering something; sits up in bed, mindful not to wake Gabriel up, pulls on his bathrobe and his boots. Swaying a little and cursing his sore back he proceeds to the door and walks out into the night.

It’s cold, so damn cold outside and the winds lash out at him at once, tousling his hair and biting at the skin of his face, at the tender spots where Gabriel kissed him most insistently. Pulling his bathrobe tighter around his body, Jack hurries to his truck, unlocks it, opens the back door and produces a bunch of flowers from the back seat. He then hurries back, almost running from the cold and the dark howling violently at him from behind. When he steps over the threshold again and locks the door securely he feels light-headed and chilled to the bone. Besides, he isn’t sure what he is doing and why he decided to do this right now, in the middle of the night. But the storm outside made him nervous, made him remember that there might be no second chances whatsoever.

He’s not surprised to discover that Gabriel has woken up in his absence, and is lying on his back, propped up on one elbow, watching him pensively. In the dark he looks like a ghost, a beautiful apparition sharing his bed and Jack feels a lump forming in his throat for no obvious reason. He probably looks like an idiot, cold and shaking and holding a useless bunch of half-dead flowers in his hand.

“Jack?” Gabriel calls him and Jack crosses the room resolutely and sits down heavily onto the bed by his side.

“I forgot I got you this,” he says almost angrily, holding his breath, a heartfelt despair in his voice and he has no idea why the fact that he’s forgotten the damn flowers makes him so frustrated, so furious, so close to tears.

“Jack?”

“Those were probably the last ones this year before winter and I picked them specifically for you because I don’t know if we even gonna make it to another year and…”

“Jackie?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

Jack is silent for a moment, only now aware that Gabriel is holding his hand, a ring flickering in the scant light from the outside. Gabriel’s eyes are on him, thoughtful and somewhat sad, as if he’s regretting all the years he spent without ever saying these three simple words to Jack. Jack’s heart is nearly bursting in his chest, like a bird in a cage struggling to break free. He leans closer, wrapping his hand around Gabriel’s neck and pressing his forehead to Gabriel’s.

“I love you too,” he whispers and it feels so damn good to finally be able to say it out loud. He wants to say this to Gabriel every day, every time he wakes up to see him again. Until the very end. And suddenly he knows that his life has a meaning and all the meaning of his life is locked within these three words. Nothing else matters except for this, this fire they still have going in the middle of the storm, this light they carry in the darkness.

Jack slips off his robe and sinks into the bed to take Gabriel again, although this time it feels entirely different, it feels like finally coming home, like finally finding peace and ending all the wars, like achieving the greatest victory in the history of humankind and reaching the highest sweetest realms of understanding the essence of life and death and making them whole, perfect in their infinity and endlessly wide in their expanse. Jack tastes the new words “ _I love you_ ” on his tongue, etches them onto Gabriel’s skin with his kisses, with his caresses, whispers them to him and melts in his arms each time he echoes him back. 

Later that night they lie awake, entangled with each other, bodies still exhuming heat, still moving gently against each other while they are playing with their ringed hands, interlocking their fingers. Gabriel’s heartbeat is steady and strong against Jack’s chest and he is smiling contently, basking in how truly _alive_ he feels.

“Do you think we have a future, Jackie?” Gabriel asks.

“Why not?” Jack says, tilting his head and turning his face to Gabriel, nuzzling his cheek.

“I mean real future. A family. Can we still have it?”

Jack coughs a laugh, looking away, up at the old wooden ceiling.

“You mean children? Come on, Gabe, you know that our line of work will never allow such a thing. Even if we retire for good. No way. Not us. It’s too risky,” he says. “I don’t know. You can consider Ana a family, you can consider Jesse our son and then there is…”

“No. It’s different,” Gabriel cuts him off so abruptly that Jack peers at him in surprise. What he sees surprises him even further:  Gabriel trying his best to keep his face and his emotions in check while apparently hurt profoundly by Jack’s words. He looks away when Jack glances at him and lets out a ragged whistling sigh, struggling to compose himself.

“Come on, Gabe,” Jake appeals to him, at a loss. He would never believe that such a simple subject could bring the man to tears. “I…I didn’t mean it like that.”

Gabriel closes his eyes and shakes his head.

“It’s okay,” he whispers, barely audibly, his voice suddenly weak. “What you say is true.”

Jack shifts closer, cups Gabriel’s cheek and turns his head gently so that he is facing him, looking straight into those ruby eyes, so sad and heartbroken. Gabriel covers his hand with the palm of his own and looks him in the eye, letting him see just how deeply he’s scared and scarred on the inside.

“When this is over, when we are done with Talon for good,” Jack tells him. “Let’s adopt a child then? Would you like that?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me who is it gonna be? A boy? Or a girl?” Jack asks him and now there’s a smile ghosting over Gabriel’s features. Jack is aware that what he is saying is a lie, a mere fantasy, but if that’s what Gabriel needs – he will give it to him.

“A girl. Always wanted a girl,” Gabriel replies.

“Well I knew it. We will adopt a little girl then, okay? We will move to a bigger place, somewhere by the sea. Somewhere real nice. And we will live there, together, with our little daughter running around. Right?”

“Yeah.”

“And you will make her pretty dresses and braid her hair and she will grow to be the bravest and most beautiful girl there is.”

“Yes, Jackie, yes,” Gabriel nods, clinging to him, kissing his cheeks, his lips, his eyes. And Jack is realizing that he’s crying too because deep inside, that fantasy, that lie, resonates strongly with him as well. And he knows that in some alternative universe, in some distant world, Gabriel could’ve been the best father.    

Soon they lull each other back to sleep, lost in the sweet illusion, clinging closer to each other as if afraid to lose that magic dream they somehow stirred awake, buried deep under their skin and now enkindled anew despite the raging winter outside. Even old soldiers are allowed to dream under the dark wings of the night. And the night is generous.

 

***

 

They wait until the weather hazard subsides a little and in a day they have the final video call with Ana, discussing last preparations for the meeting of the former Overwatch team. She doesn’t tell them exactly who is going to be there - this question still remains a mystery to all of them.

“It might turn out so that it will be just you two, me, Fareeha and Reinhardt. The five of us for sure,” she informs them.

Gabriel takes his time packing although it’s hardly been a day since he settled at Jack’s. Jack has to hurry him up once and again but he gets this hesitation perfectly. He would’ve also understood it if in the end Gabriel told him that he wouldn’t be coming along. He’s prepared to hear this.

But his partner is ready at last – pale and moody, apparently nervous, but ready to stand by his side. For Jack it’s a tough choice as well - to go out there, to face them, to try on the role of Commander again. But now that Gabriel is back, he can see the meaning of it all again, the real chance they might have if they’re working together. Overwatch might have fallen, but its team is still very much alive. In the end, it’s not about rules and organization – it’s about people and relationships.

“You sure you’re up for this?” Jack asks him when they leave the safety of the cabin and are walking towards the truck. “You can stay if you don’t want to face it, Gabe. You can go later if you want, when things will settle more or less. There’s no pressure.”  

Gabriel is looking down, stern and pensive. He shakes his head.

“Better we do it now and deal with it. If they don’t…if it won’t be a success, then I can get back to my own mission without these matters bugging me anymore.”

He then looks up at Jack and says,

“Besides, I want to be there with you. My place was always by your side after all.”

“Was?”

Gabriel shrugs.

“I am a walking corpse, Jack. It’s time we admit at least that much.”

With these words he gets into the truck and shuts the door. Jack is lingering a moment longer, pondering his words. It’s seems the dreams and illusions are gone now, dissipated with the light of the day. He also figures that it’s those illusions that currently keep him going, call him back to his duty.

_A walking corpse?_ But he knows just how alive Gabriel can be…

They drive into the city where a dropship picks them up with Fareeha aboard. Jack’s heart starts beating faster at the sight of her and she seems to be genuinely happy to see him too as she greets him and hugs him warmly. She’s eyeing Gabriel with suspicion though, nodding to him curtly and shaking his hand. Her eyes never leave him as they proceed onto the ship and Jack realizes that things might get more complicated than he anticipated. What if the former Overwatch members deem it right to take Gabriel hostage while they have a shot at it? In that case, they will have to take Jack too.

What if the two of them have been tricked? What if Overwatch is planning to get intel on Talon from its most powerful agent? And isn’t he the one who literally seduced that agent and brought him right into the hands of the enemy? Jack’s thoughts are getting out of control, he realizes that he’s being paranoid but can’t help that. Somewhere along the way he lost the ability to trust people; he no longer believes that their motives can be entirely pure and just. And if things go wrong he will be ready to protect Gabriel from anyone, even from their own family.

While they are buckling up Fareeha briefs them on the time and place of the meeting, all the facts that have been kept in strict secret. They will head to Egypt once again, where there is a safe place organized for them by Ana and Reinhardt, a place where an IT-school once used to be but the building has been abandoned ever since the Omnic Crisis. There’re a lot of places like that all over the world these days. Because the world, took over completely by several ‘ruling’ corporations, is preoccupied with other, more urgent matters.     

“How were you planning to infiltrate Talon if me and Ana didn’t agree to help you?”  Jack asks Gabriel as the dropship takes off. The question has been on his mind for a while now.

“Just the same,” Gabriel replies.

“But it’s a suicide, Gabe.”

Gabriel shrugs in response.

“Wouldn’t matter to me,” he says flatly.

“Would it matter _now_?” Jack asks him delicately.

Gabriel turns his eyes to him and Jack can swear he sees a familiar spark lingering there for a moment as those eyes change color from scarlet to hazel and back to scarlet.

“It would.”

Jack nods and smiles, satisfied with the answer. Gabriel’s hand finds its way to his own, their fingers interlock and Jack’s heart is fluttering all the way to the farthest lands of Egypt.

The country meets them with excruciating heat and dryness of the air as soon as they step out of the ship and head to the school building. Sands have conquered the place completely and the scorched dust is stirring up from under the heels of the old soldiers’ boots with every step.  

“I hate the heat,” Gabriel grumbles, pulling the hood of his jacket over his face and concealing it almost entirely while they are ascending the steps of the former school. Fareeha is following them close behind and Jack keeps watching her anxiously from the corner of his eye, mistrust blooming treacherously in his heart.  

The building is huge and pompous, marble columns basking in the abundant sunlight and shining gloriously. Once it used to be a property of yet another huge corporation which later went bankrupt and had to urgently abandon all of its ‘charitable’ projects.

Ana greets them at the top of the stairs, by the grand entrance. She looks tiny against it.

“I am sorry,” she says. “You had to go all the way here. But it’s the safest place I could think of.”

“Guess I’m used to it, Ana,” Jack jokes. “Egypt is pretty much my second home by now.”

“Why not take us all the way to Australia then while we are at it?” Gabriel notes.

“Gabriel,” Ana steps closer to him and does something that astounds Jack. She smiles at him and opens her arms, offering an embrace. Gabriel seems to be no less surprised by the gesture. But after a moment of hesitation he clears his throat and closes the distance between them, awkwardly accepting her warm welcome.

“Welcome back,” Ana tells him, laying her cheek on his shoulder and lightly patting him on the back.

“Well, that’s really nice,” Jack comments and glances at Fareeha. He’s pleased and somewhat relieved to see that she is smiling too at the sight of the old-timers reunion. His suspicions start to dissipate slowly.

Ana and Gabriel take a step back from each other, Gabriel is looking away and pulling his hood further down his face while Ana is smiling, flushed, her eye sparkling with enthusiasm and warmth.     

“I hope things are finally cleared out between us, Gabriel,” she tells him. “And I wish you good luck today. There happens to be quite a lot of those who decided to join us.”

She leads them into the building and shows them their rooms on the second floor, which once used to be someone’s dormitories. Before the meeting starts they have some spare time to get ready and in less than five minutes after Ana leaves them to go check on the others, Gabriel shows up at the door to Jack’s room, his traveling bag still hanging over his shoulder, untouched.

“You mind if I join you?” he asks timidly. “My room gives me chills.”

Jack smiles at him, his blue eyes flicker playfully.

“Of course I don’t. Feel yourself at home. The bed’s huge by the way.”

“Mmm, that leaves room for imagination,” Gabriel comments, gliding in and gently brushing Jack’s shoulder on the way.

Ana wasn’t joking when she told them that there were a lot of those who showed up for the meeting. When she introduces him as “our former Strike Commander” and he walks up to the lecturing stand to give a speech to them – he can see most of the original team present. He can see Jesse, smoking his cigar pensively; he can see Reinhardt and Torbjorn with Brigitte by his side. He can see Hana Song and Genji, Winston and Lena, Angela and Hanzo. He is simultaneously happy and scared to see them all assembled for the cause they might not understand completely yet. He also can’t help but admit that he’s been missing them.

Sunlight is flowing freely through the huge windows of the lecture hall as Jack starts to speak, his voice trembling at first. Ana is standing by his side, encouraging him with her smile, just like in the old times.

“During the last few years we’ve been through a lot. We lost Overwatch; each of us had to go through some kind of tragedy and loss. Each of us had to pay the price for mistakes we made and for the wrong steps we took. For the wrong decisions I made as your Commander, letting our enemies see our weakest side, our vulnerability. And it might seem like a total defeat, like a failure. But the fact that you all are sitting here, today, the fact that you answered Winston’s call and gathered together again - tells me that we are not dead. That we are not defeated yet. That we still have something to hope for. Time has moved on, Overwatch has fallen. But we are still here.”

He clears his throat, grips the edges of the lecturn and goes on,

“Ana didn’t invite you here just to look at me and see for yourselves the reason we failed in the past. She didn’t do it for me to give some kind of explanation, some kind of closure. And honestly, it was a hard decision to make. Something I would’ve never accepted if not for those who made sacrifices, those who have been doing their job while we all were away somewhere, licking our wounds clean.”

Saying this, Jack raises his hand with the Reaper mask clutched in it and demonstrates it to his audience. A gasp of surprise and whispers pass through the ranks of the former Overwatch members. _“Menace!”_ Reinhardt declares landing his fist on the table and cracking it. Jack feels his skin prickle with uneasiness, beads of sweat forming on his temples, but he puts the mask down on the lecturn and proceeds with his speech,

“Sometimes in order to save something dear to us, we have to make sacrifices, even if it means sacrificing that something to some extent. Even if it means turning to dark ways and joining the ranks of the enemy, pretending you’re one of them. Playing your part so well, you start losing yourself in it, you start to become dangerously close to the ones you want to fight. That is why you all have been gathered here today. To learn that, for the first time, we have a clear shot at the Talon organization. And we have this chance today thanks to one man, who we all know, and who has been playing a part of a double-agent all this time, a part of _the Reaper_ , infiltrating our enemy and gathering all the necessary intel from the very heart of their activity, who fought his way up the leader within this organization and managed to stay disclosed although the price he paid for this can never be truly measured. The man who took a fall for all of us – is Commander Reyes.  And he is here, today, he’s agreed to join us.”

Jack extends his arm to invite Gabriel to the platform but nothing happens at first. For a moment there he thinks that Gabriel gave up the idea, abandoned him…but then a smoky shadow materializes by his side and slowly takes shape of his partner. He is staring at the floor, his head hanging low and his hands concealed in the pockets of his jacket as he looks away, avoiding everyone else’s prying gazes.

There follows another gasp of shock from those present in the audience accompanied by Hana’s chewing gum popping all over her face.

“I’ll be damned! That’s just unspeakable!” Torbjorn says.

“Well would you look at that!” McCree says.

“I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Jack? Are you serious?” Angela exclaims.

“This must be some kind of mistake,” Genji says.

“Such a disgrace,” Hanzo comments.

“I can’t see properly but…is that really Gabriel Reyes? The very Gabriel Reyes who died? Is he… _that thing_?” Winston wonders pointing at the mask.

But despite their outrage all of them remain sitting, listening still.

Ana walks up to the lecturn and takes over the mic, allowing both Gabriel and Jack a moment to compose themselves.

“Your reaction to Gabriel is perfectly understandable,” she says. “I felt exactly the same way when I first learnt that he and Jack formed an alliance in our absence. I couldn’t bring myself to trust him after I discovered that he joined Talon and did so many bad things in their name. I couldn’t trust him up until recently, working closer with Jack. Prejudiced as I was against Gabriel, I was proved wrong while he demonstrated that his loyalty still rests with us and offered us the result of years of his work – a chance to strike down the current leader of Talon.”

“Doomfist? Is hella powerful!” McCree says. “How do you propose to get rid of the guy? We are just a bunch of simple folk.”

“Do you really consider yourself simple folk, Jesse?” Gabriel suddenly asks, taking over the mic. Jack and Ana step aside to give him space.

“Pardon me…, Commander?” Jesse replies, puffing on his cigar.

“We are not just…simple folk, we are all talented and compassionate people, recruited for a reason or have you forgotten this? I wouldn’t offer you to risk your lives in vain if I didn’t know that we have a real chance here. Having worked with Talon for so long I can tell you what Talon lacks – it lacks the sense of justice, it lacks love and compassion. It lacks your cohesion. It’s a free choice of course. You don’t have to work with me if you don’t want to. If you’re so disgusted by my “reaper” persona. You can step aside. We are no longer Overwatch or Blackwatch. None of this shit matters anymore, and our methods change. On my part, I’m willing to enact retribution upon Talon and put an end to this. Once and for all.”

“Talon is like a dragon with multiple heads,” Reinhardt says. “One is cut down and another one emerges in its stead. How do you plan to deal with that?”

“By becoming that head myself. And destroying the rest of them.”

Everyone is silent after that. McCree’s cigar falls to the desk and proceeds to burn a hole there but he doesn’t seem to notice. Jack stares at Gabriel, wide-eyed. He never let him in on _that_ plan. Just how far into the future has he looked? How carefully he planned?

“Can you do that, Gabriel? Can you really do that?” Ana asks him quietly but in the present stillness everyone can hear her perfectly.

“With your help – I could try,” he says. “I would try even without it. But, as Jack put it, that would be suicide. Although I am familiar with death on a personal level. I’ve got nothing more to say to you. Jack and me will brief you on the details later. In case anyone shows up.”

He turns to leave but then halts.

“Oh,” he says. “I forgot something.”

He walks down the platform to where Winston is sitting and places a new pair of glasses in front of him.

“Sorry for the glasses, man,” he says, turns around and walks away hurriedly.

“Ah…apologies accepted?” Winston replies, bringing the glasses up to his eyes and studying them closely.

“That will be all. For today,” Jack announces and rushes down the platform too, hurrying after his partner.

“Gabriel!” he shouts at him, running down the corridor towards the hunched dark figure moving slowly along it. “Gabriel, wait!”

Gabriel’s broad shoulders stiffen at the sound of Jack’s voice; he glances back for a moment and then proceeds to walk, a bit slower. Jack soon catches up with him, puts his arm around Gabriel’s shoulders to reassure him.

“It went alright, Gabe,” he tells him. “It went alright. But why haven’t you told me about that plan of yours?”

“Well, a man got to keep _some_ secrets, Jackie,” he replies.

“Hey, Commanders!”

They look back and see Jesse McCree hurrying toward them, his red cape fluttering behind him.

“What is it, Jesse?” Jack asks him; his hand still on Gabriel’s shoulder.

“Uh. Just wanted to say that I kinda…believe you. All these years I spent with…you two taught me everything I know today, you supported me and helped me and saved my ass so many times. It just don’t add up to me that you two might be traitors. It ain’t right. So you know. I’m on your side in this. You can count on me.”

He offers his hand and Jack shakes it willingly.

“It’s great to have you back, cowboy,” he says.

Gabriel is more hesitant though, wavering, he slowly pulls his blackened hand from out of his pocket and offers it for a handshake instead of just accepting Jesse’s, giving him a chance to back away. Jesse’s eyes widen at the sight but he collects himself pretty quickly and in the next moment he’s shaking Gabriel’s hand heartily.

“See?” Jack tells him after McCree leaves. “That’s a start.”        

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued with our heroes finally striking at Talon and...  
> some _things_ to be revealed about Gabriel too


	5. Beast Unleashed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel turns into smoke and twines around him, wrapping his shadow claws about his shoulders, secluding him into a tight grip. 
> 
> “But no matter what comes next now, know that I’ll always be waiting for your soul on the other side. You will always hear my call. So even if you’ll die and go to Heaven, boy, you will have to find your way down to me.”
> 
> Jack shudders under the weight of those words but when he comes up with a reply his shadow lover has already disappeared into the night. Jack refocuses his visor on Akande’s grand estate then and watches Gabriel entering the line of guests. He sighs heavily, sensing the inevitable storm coming that is not going to end well for all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At last I seem to be sure where this story goes and how it's going to end
> 
> Warning: minor character death ahead

**v. Beast Unleashed**

 

_Jack dreams of fire and explosions and war. Gun bursts are deafening, stunning him as he makes his way across the blistered battlefield. He is lost. He’s lost everything. The feeling of dreadful emptiness eats away at him, he is broken, miserable. Voices can be heard all around, people shouting, screaming, crying and pleading indistinctly behind the roar of exploding machines._

_Something is blackening against the line of horizon, a column standing tall against the brilliant setting sun, and he makes his way towards it. Slowly, as he approaches it, he realizes that the column he sees rising from the ground isn’t some destroyed relic of a building or an omnic. It’s a pile of human bodies. Jack feels sick, disgusted by the sight of those deformed, mutilated shapes. He can hardly believe those once used to be people.  Still he walks closer; unable to stop._

_His attention is caught by a shape of black smoke slowly coiling around the column, crawling up, making its way to the top. Jack swallows hard, his throat suddenly gone dry, his heart thrumming violently._

_He knows who that is._

_Reaper pauses by every dead body, leaning slowly to it and breathing it in. His back is turned to Jack and he seems to be unaware of his presence, too immersed in the process. Jack walks up closer still and proceeds to walk around the column, following the creature._

_Now he is so close he can hear a weird wheezing sound Reaper is making. Blood freezes in his veins when he realizes what he’s doing – sucking out their souls! Just as the realization dawns upon him, Reaper spots him and turns abruptly in his direction, hazy remains of someone’s life still flowing in through the holes in his mask, his eyes - two shining rubies matching the bloody sun._

_Reaper laughs darkly when he recognizes Jack, he pushes off the horrid column and swoops down to him, taking his mask off on the way. Jack staggers backwards and slips, falling at the impending sight – he sees exactly what he’s been dreading to see – the insane monster!_

_Reaper lands on the ground, into a swirl of smoke, and reshapes from it, transforming further into a ghastly apparition. He lunges at the helpless Jack and pushes him down to the ground as if he were nothing but a mere puppet, another piece for his collection of souls. Jack attempts to fight back but discovers that he can’t move a muscle. It takes him an inhuman effort to raise one arm as he tries to shield himself from the numerous slick tongues reaching out for him._

_“It’s all because of YOU!” the monster growls, pinning him down, looming above him like a huge dark shadow and opening its snout filled with thousands of razor-sharp teeth. “NOW. I shall have a taste of your soul.”_

_Jack doesn’t feel any pain when the sharp claws pierce him through and through but there’s that horrible awareness of life flowing, pouring swiftly out of him and he’s dying, dying, while the creature laughs and licks it off, devours him and tears him apart…_

He wakes up with a start, gasping for air, the laughter still echoing in his ears, making him shiver. Jack wipes drops of cold sweat from his forehead and rolls around in bed only to discover that Gabriel isn’t there. Another wave of panic seizes him as he wonders where he could have gone in the middle of the night. Is he out there somewhere? Doing those horrible things Jack has just dreamt about?

Still in the grip of the nightmare, his mind wonders back to the moment they experienced out in the field of chamomiles when Gabriel suddenly changed and lost his human appearance. He thinks about their first encounter after the years they spent apart when Gabriel revealed to him the monster he has truly become.

Jack rubs his temples wondering if there is any chance this can ever be stopped, reversed.  How could they possibly nourish the idea of having a family when what he sleeps with is no longer human?  What will become of him later? Will he be able to stop Gabriel if he gets out of control? No one might know it like he does but Gabriel is a delayed-action killing machine. It’s only a matter of time before things might get worse. So much worse. And it’s not only about him or his illusion. He can’t just stay blind to it; he can’t turn his back on Gabriel too. He can’t let this nightmare become reality.

Lost in his thoughts, Jack gets out of bed, wide-awake. He pads to his travel bag left on a chair, fishes out his t-shirt and his pants, pulls them on and then heads out of the room.

After some generous amount of time spent wandering blindly and pointlessly through the dark chilly building when everyone’s obviously still asleep, Jack discovers Gabriel in the old school gym, casually doing chin-ups.

“Looks who’s up,” he says, never stopping on Jack’s account when the man wanders in. “Anyone ever told you you’re talking shit in your sleep? Woke me up in the middle of the fucking night”

“Sorry,” Jack mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck and proceeding to make his way in Gabriel’s direction. Even in the semi-darkness of the gym (the electric supply system _kicked the bucket long time ago_ , as Torbjorn put it) he can see the way Gabriels’s sweat-soaked shirt clings to his body, the way Gabriel’s nostrils flare as he measures his breathing. Jack swallows, can’t help getting turned on by the sight. Despite his age Gabriel seems to be in perfect physical shape and Jack’s pretty sure he could easily best him in a chin-ups contest - he hasn’t even done those in ages. Gabriel stops, however, when Jack comes up to him. He jumps down, landing agilely on his feet.

“You look pale,” he observes with genuine concern in his voice.

“Bad dream,” Jack replies. “Don’t mind me”

But Gabriel is already there, wrapping his arms about him, caressing him and pulling him close until Jack is pressed flat against his chest. All of a sudden he feels warm and so utterly comforted. The last threads of the nightmare he experienced are dissipating, leaving nothing but a shadow behind, his mind finally clearing. He realizes that he actually went looking for Gabriel not so much to talk to him about the problem or out of fear of him, but because he needed _this_ , needed to be comforted. He’s been deprived of this for such a long time. He hugs Gabriel back, presses his face in the crook of his neck and inhales his scent, breathing shakily, his lips quivering.

“It’s okay, it’s just a dream,” Gabriel reassures him and he nods, a helpless sound escapes his lips. They stay like this for a while, swaying gently, losing the track of time.   

“I’m concerned about you,” Jack finally says, almost whispers into Gabriel’s skin.

“Jack…”

“You are so secretive. You ain’t letting me in on your plans. First we were talking about our future and then next thing you’re saying you’re gonna be Talon’s leader. Think you can handle this on your own? That just doesn’t work that way, Gabe.”

“I _am_ letting you in,” Gabriel replies, rubbing Jack’s back. “It’s just… time has taught me that some things better stay secret until the moment is right. I wasn’t sure about the others, I wasn’t sure if they were ready. If _you_ were ready.”

“Me?? But I _am_ , dammit!”

Gabriel places his hands on Jack’s shoulders and pushes him away a little to take a look into his eyes. Jack frowns, turns his face away because he’s not sure he’s being entirely honest, because there’s too much struggling inside of him, too much feelings.

“Then why you keep seeing those nightmares? You wanna know what you’re talking about in your sleep?”

“No. Your… condition - is what worries me most,” Jack says. “Pretty sure that’s what I was talking about. Cause that…that thing I saw you become when you attacked me on that day…I…I’m not sure how to…I don’t want you to become it. I don’t want to lose you to it.”   

“This _‘thing’_ is our only chance against Talon and another war. I worked on it, I perfected it. Now I’m ready. There’s no turning back for me, Jack. And you’re either with me in this or not.” 

Jack sighs and shakes his head.

“Of course I’m with you. There’s no turning back for me either cause I’m gonna kill those bastards with my bare hands after what they did to you. Then…whatever comes next, if only you let me I’ll stay by your side even in Talon.”

“I know,” Gabriel steps aside, smiling. “You, my _cariño_ , are thinking way too hard. Let’s take your mind off it a bit, okay? How about a sparring session?”

“Huh,” Jack chuckles, feeling more composed now. “Really? Well, I don’t know…only if it’s gonna be a fair one…”

“Sure it’s gonna be a fair one,” Gabriel assures him cunningly. “Come on. Let me prove to you that I’m so much better than you in this anyway.”

“What?! Last time you tried to fight me I kicked your sorry ass or have you forgotten?” Jack cricks his knuckles and his neck. “Think you can impress me with those chin-ups? Fine. I’ll show you who’s better.”

They circle each other once, waiting for the right moment, and then lunge at each other. It doesn’t take long before Jack discovers that Gabriel indeed might be better than him - he’s swift and athletic and his reaction is perfect. For a while he lets Jack revel in delusion that he’s in charge of the situation, allowing him to be the first one to attack, yielding to him. But, having had his share of fun, he makes Jack trip and fall on his ass, then easily pins him down to the floor.

Enrapt in the process, Jack continues to struggle under him, discovers that he could actually shake Gabriel off if he wanted just the same way he did back on the porch of his cabin because the man just keeps making the same mistakes. Or he just doesn’t really want to fight Jack. He smiles. He keeps pretending he’s resisting, but ceases any of those fake attempts after both his wrists get securely pinned to the ground too. He laughs then and relaxes under Gabriel, suddenly aware that he is painfully hard in his pants, feeling Gabriel’s own heated hardness pressing against his thigh.

“You give up yet, soldier?” Gabriel asks him, his voice husky.

“No,” Jack says shaking his head from side to side.

“Then I’m gonna resort to plan B”

He leans down and licks Jack’s lips until he opens his mouth for him. When he does, Gabriel boldly probes his tongue inside. Jack moans keenly into the kiss while being explored in such a graceless way. He returns the favor ardently by sucking at Gabriel’s tongue and biting at his lower lip.

“ _Mmph_ , I thought we agreed on playing fair,” Jack says, panting, as Gabriel’s hands leave his wrists and steal under his shirt.

“Yeah. It’s most unfair of you to temp me like that,” Gabriel comments, caressing his chest.

The situation gets pretty heated up when suddenly the door to the gym opens and someone else is walking in. They break apart and look back in the direction of the door. They can’t hear any steps but the jingling sound gives up the intruder. It’s Zenyatta, floating swiftly somewhere in the darkness.

“Just what is he doing here?!” Jack wonders, cursing in a whisper. Without any warning, Gabriel disappears from his sight, turning into smoke and fleeing.

“You bastard!” Jack grumbles quietly. He pulls his shirt down and struggles up to his feet before Zenyatta notices him lying on the floor all hot and bothered. Stumbling, he hurries out from another exit, eternally grateful for the lack of electricity and the sheer size of the building and its rooms.

As he makes his way back into his room a shadow is following him along the hall, hiding coyly in the darkness.

“Left me out there and fled, just like that. Huh?” Jack keeps grumbling, still offended. “What would I say to him if he saw me? Think you can get away with it?”

The shadow is quiet, but it pushes off the wall, drifts towards Jack and squeezes its way between his legs as he walks, brushing his still hard dick. Jack hisses and stops in his tracks while the shadow is winding around his waist.

“Want you,” it whispers into his ear and Jack bites his lower lip, proceeding to walk stiffly. “Hurry up, what is someone else sees you right _now_?”     

He steps into his room and closes the door behind, then heads for their unmade bed, still enveloped in the smoky shadow. Jack tilts his head as it caresses his neck and lets out a needy sigh.

“Show yourself, Gabe,” he urges, sitting down and then the sensation of smoke against his skin is replaced by a tickling sensation of Gabriel’s beard. His hot chest presses against Jack’s back, his thick thighs trap Jack’s sides.

“I’m here,” Gabriel says, trailing gentle kisses down Jack’s neck and shoulders. He reaches down and sneaks his hand under the band of Jack’s pants.

“Please,” Jack whispers, feeling Gabriel’s hardness as it rubs against his lower back. He arches his back and spreads his legs apart to give him better access while Gabriel is stroking him, teasing him with his thumb and bringing him near climax in a matter of seconds.

“Please what, Jackie?” he whispers although he knows exactly what Jack is asking for. He presses the pad of his thumb against Jack’s slit and Jack shudders violently.

He doesn’t give a direct reply though, leans back in Gabriel’s embrace and wraps his arm around Gabriel’s neck, pulling him closer, reaching for him.

“Please…,” he whispers against the skin of his neck, planting small kisses where his words linger. Gabriel chuckles softly, his other hand venturing up to grab Jack by the hair.

“So pretty,” he says, pulling at his hair gently and making him incline his head back, exposing the tender flesh of his neck. He kisses it, then sucks at it and bites it, making Jack hiss, leaving angry marks there in the spot where Jack won’t even be able to hide it later unless he wears his armor. He then trails wet soothing kisses along the line of Jack’s jaw, sucks at the lobe of his ear before gently biting it. Jack cries out softly, heat spreading all over his skin.

“Can you feel it, Jackie?” Gabriel asks in a silky voice, grinding against Jack’s lower back while stroking Jack’s dick at a punishing pace, mindful of his talons.

“Yeahhh,” Jack replies, breathless.

“You want it?”

Jack closes his eyes and nods, moaning wantonly. Gabriel leans in to crush his lips into Jack’s, kissing him deep, exploring his mouth with his tongue.

“Finish yourself off then,” he drawls out when they break apart.

‘What?” Jack asks. He is so close he can hardly think straight.

“Take your pants off and finish yourself,” Gabriel repeats, rubbing his beard against Jack’s sensitive flushed skin. “Then we’ll see.”

He withdraws his hand, leaving Jack wanting and leaking and feeling totally abandoned.  Impatiently, he hurries to do as he is told, pulls off his pants and his boxers and kicks them aside. His swollen cock stands to full attention against the chilly air of the room and his breath hitches a little at the sensation.

“That’s it. Come here,” Gabriel says, wrapping his arm around Jack’s waist and pulling him farther onto the bed. Jack gets the hint and scrambles to his knees, taking a step backwards until his ass is pressed against Gabriel again.

“You’re so damn hot,” he observes, and Gabriel shifts closer, slamming his body against him and biting his shoulder.

Jack groans, licks his lips and leans forward a little as Gabriel grinds against his ass greedily. The feeling of rough material against the tender flesh is marvelous and Jack gives in to the sensation, taking himself in hand in Gabriel’s stead and stroking himself just like he did.

“Yeah,” Gabriel moans into his ear, grounding his hips against him harder. “Just like that, baby. Won’t you let me see?”

And when he leans forward, when he bites another tender spot on Jack’s skin, right below his jaw, Jack comes hard, spilling into his hand as Gabriel licks the bite and hums contentedly.

“Good,” he says after Jack sags pliantly against his chest, when he’s sure that he’s had enough time to regain his self-control.

A sound of their door creaking suspiciously interrupts the blissful moment of the aftermath.

“The hell is up with the doors today?”

“Did we lock it?” Jack suddenly asks. 

“Relax. It’s just a draft,” Gabriel assures him but he gets off the bed anyway and makes his way towards the door to peer outside and then lock it securely.

“Just like I said,” he concludes on his way back.

“Wouldn’t be surprised if the place’s haunted,” Jack says, making Gabriel smirk.

“Since when do you believe in this shit?” he asks.

Jack shrugs, cracking a smile at him.

“I knew a wraith once.”

“Shut up.”

“I even slept with one,” Jack adds, lying down languidly as Gabriel crawls back onto the bed, towards him.

“Might even let him fuck me,” Jack finishes, wrapping his arms around Gabriel’s neck.

“Too late to be backing away now, baby”

“I’m not,” Jack says.

“I’m just kidding,” Gabriel tells him. “Tell me if you don’t really want this.”

“Did I look like I didn’t want this?”

Gabriel laughs.

“Well…no”

“Then stop with your fucking chivalry already.”

“Ever so romantic…” Gabriel says and leans down to claim Jack’s lips.

“Oops!” he says when his claws tear Jack’s shirt not quite accidentally. “Sorry.”

“This was my only good shirt by the way,” Jack comments, breathless.

“I’ll give you mine. Jackie. You look so good like that.”

Gabriel’s hands roam his body, squeezing his pecs and rubbing his hardened nipples. Jack throws his head back and arches into the touch, his torn shirt forgotten.

“ _Ungh_..,” is all he manages in reply before Gabriel’s lips find his again. They kiss hungrily and Gabriel palms his cock before wrapping his clawed fingers around it, making him aware that he’s gotten hard again, eager for more.

Gabriel then shifts above him and grabs his knees, spreading his legs apart, leaving him open. Jack gasps at the sensation of being so suddenly vulnerable, but Gabriel shushes him, moving closer. He reaches down to pull off his own pants and then turns his attention back to Jack, pressing his hardness against his ass, meaning to let him know what he’s signed up for.  

Jack moans shamelessly when Gabriel’s big hands caress his thighs in broad bold motions, talons leaving white stripes on his skin as he pulls him down further. He squeezes his hips painfully and the pad of his thumb brushes against Jack’s hole, making him shiver and whine impatiently and nervously at the same time.

“I…I’m not sure about your talons…” he attempts to say shyly but when Gabriel leans down and disappears between his legs, replacing his thumb with his tongue, he gasps, arches, grasping at the headboard. “Ugh…fuck _me_ … _!!!_ ”

“Be a good boy,” Gabriel tells him, swiping his tongue over his entrance and up along his stiff shaft. “And I will.”

He then pulls Jack down roughly, opens him up with his thumbs and pushes his tongue inside of him, making him cry out, making him quiver.

“Relax,” Gabriel urges. Jack looks down at him, panting heavily, registering how blown Gabriel’s pupils are, how his hazel eyes are burning red at the irises. “Relax for me.”

He makes an effort to relax next time Gabriel’s tongue sinks inside of him, deeper, his hips start pushing on their own accord, seeking more contact. The sensation constantly changes from alien to unbearably pleasant until all he feels is the flaming need for more. He can feel himself leaking onto his stomach as Gabriel moves deeper inside of him, exploring him in the most intimate of ways. It’s been so long since he experienced this he forgot how much he loves it.

Gabriel pulls out of him to gaze at him again and licks his lips deliberately.

“Just as I remember you,” he says with a wicked smile.

“Pervert,” Jack breathes out, his cheeks are burning hotly.

Gabriel only huffs in reply, proceeds to slowly crawl his way up Jack’s body, making sure to kiss every inch of it, to lick clean every drop of his precome so that Jack could have a taste of himself on his tongue when their lips meet again. Jack places his hand on his nape and brings him closer, hungry for a rougher treatment.

“I hope you took that bottle of lube with you?” Gabriel asks, breaking the kiss with a wet popping sound, his eyes glazed over with want.  

“It’s in the bag somewhere,” Jack replies helplessly.

“Are you getting off on me running around and fetching things for you today?” Gabriel scoffs and Jack shakes his head.

With a looks of dramatic frustration Gabriel turns into wraith and heads in the direction of Jack’s bag, He flips it over indifferently and spills its contents on the floor, never caring to rummage through it more or less carefully.  He spots the bottle, picks it and, leaving the mess of Jack’s stuff behind, he turns back to him, reshaping into human form once again.

“You’ll have to do this yourself,” he says and Jack steals a careful glance at his blackened talons, accepting the bottle.

"Okay,” he says.

He pops the bottle open and coats his fingers generously. He then tosses the bottle aside, guides his fingers between his legs and, after a few moments of teasing, pushes one finger inside, never letting his eyes off Gabriel.

“Yes,” Gabriel pants out as Jack’s finger slides deeper in. Jack adjusts to it pretty quickly and adds in another one, suddenly lost in the memory of Gabriel pushing inside of him for the first time. The Gabriel in front of him takes his own cock in hand and starts jerking himself off, unable to resist the sight Jack presents to him. As he watches he kisses Jack’s knee and rubs his cheek against his inner thigh, sighing shakily. Jack can’t help but bask in that power he has over him. Judging by how poorly composed he is, they don’t have much time left.

When Jack puts third finger inside, Gabriel leans down and, to the sound of his ceaseless keening moans, whispers into his ear,

“Let me have it too, baby, don’t be so selfish.”

Jack withdraws his fingers then and Gabriel replaces them, pushes inside of him at once, filling him up so completely Jack forgets how to breathe as his body sinks further onto Gabriel’s hard member. He grabs at Gabriel’s forearms, turning his face to the side and groaning.

“You okay?” Gabriel asks him, giving him a moment to adjust although by the strain of his muscles Jack can tell that he is barely hanging on to the last threads of self-control.

“So…much of you,” is the only coherent thing Jack manages to blurt out, before he hears Gabriel chuckle and feels him start moving inside. He wraps his legs around Gabriel’s waist, discovering a more comfortable angle and by the time Gabriel starts fucking mercilessly into his pliant body he’s gotten used to the forgotten sensation of being penetrated. Gabriel pauses for a moment to place a pillow under Jack’s lower back and cants his hips, thrusting slowly at first until he finds the right spot, making Jack jerk and shiver under him.

“There…?” he moans.

“Ugh…yeah. _Yeah-yeah-yeahhh!”_

Gabriel slams into him again and again, and Jack’s vision goes blank. He’s pretty sure he sees stars when he comes for the second time as Gabriel proceeds to fuck him roughly. He arches his back, picks Jack’s lower body up from the pillow and after a couple more of thrusts his eyes suddenly come alive and are on fire, literally burning, red, ardent, his physical form goes blurry at the edges and Jack watches as he transforms in front of him, inside of him, changing again.

“Gabe?” he mumbles warily, his heart pounding in his chest.

Something is breaking out from Gabriel’s back – shapeless clawed wings. They’re outstretching, reaching down to Jack, but then he growls and pulls out of him abruptly, backing away.

Jack sits up slowly, moving backwards, watching the thing that was Gabriel Reyes just moments ago as it stands on its hands and knees before him, groaning noisily, breathing, burning.

“Gabriel?” he addresses it guardedly, his limbs feel weak and numb as he attempts to supports himself, and he realizes that he won’t be able to fight back. Not in this state.

“Sorry,” the creature suddenly replies and its voice is still recognizable. It makes Jack relax a little. “I can’t stop it.”

It proceeds to back away slowly, meaning to get off the bed.

“Hey,” Jack calls it. The creature pauses.

Jack outreaches his hand to it although his mind is telling him that what he’s doing is totally crazy and his heart is about to jump out of his chest. 

“Gabriel. Get back here.”

“I better leave.”

“Don’t.”

Jack is pretty sure he shouldn’t be taking chances like that but something tells him _this is_ the exact moment where he shouldn’t turn his back on Gabriel.

“Get back here,” he repeats, more persistent this time and the creature takes an unsure step closer.

Jack leans forward and shifts closer to it as well, reaches for it until he touches it, caressing what he thinks is supposed to be its shoulder. The creature rumbles softly at the contact. He opens his arms for it and when it…when _Gabriel_ is back in his embrace he’s given up completely to the whims of fate.

He lies down on his back again and Gabriel follows after. Jack isn’t even sure anymore what he can and can’t touch - everything is red fire and black smoke, but the apparition makes it easier for him when it swirls around him and pins his arms and his waist to the bed. Now the smoky shape looks more like a liquid, it leans to Jack and opens up where its head is supposed to be. It oozes, drips onto Jack as Gabriel growls for him, his hunger not yet sated.

Jack opens his legs, watching, mesmerized, the thing in front of him, watching its huge prolonged claws handle his body that seems tiny in comparison. The numerous smoky limbs caress him everywhere and he grunts with pain when Gabriel pushes inside of him again, seems so much bigger than he used to be in his human form. More of him drips onto Jack and soon the pain is being replaced by a new wave of urgent pleasure building inside of him. Smoky limbs are wrapping around his cock and start stroking it as the thing hooks him up and persistently brings him to climax again until his body is squeezing desperately around the hardness inside.

The creature doesn’t pull out, waiting till he recovers. Its shapeless wings form some sort of a shelter around them, concealing them from the rest of the world until all Jack can see are darkness and a pair of ruby eyes watching him. Having granted him those few moments to breathe, Gabriel takes him again and although Jack is completely drained by the time he finds himself intoxicated, easily aroused by the creature as it fucks him over and over while licking him hungrily, growling to him how good and sweet he feels.

When it finally lets him go all he can do is turn to lie on his side and pass out into a deep dreamless sleep. He wakes up few hours later to discover a shapeless form curled up by his side, breathing against his back. Strangely comforted by the presence, he falls back to sleep. Next time he wakes up it’s the early morning and he sees Gabriel sitting on the edge of the bed. Smoke is still evaporating from his body but he’s human once again.

“Gabe,” Jack calls, the name comes out weak, almost soundless, but Gabriel hears him, turns around.

“Go back to sleep, Jackie,” he says. “It’s still early.”

“Love you, baby,” Jack whispers and Gabriel’s face brightens up at once, genuine emotion sparks up in his eyes.  Jack smiles lazily at him as Gabriel crawls back to bed, wraps his arms about him and kisses his forehead.

“Love you too,” he says.

“Stay,” Jack asks him as he plunges back into the world of sweetest dreams in Gabriel’s arms.

When he wakes up later, Gabriel is snoring peacefully, still by his side. Jack smiles contentedly and gently breaks free from the affectionate embrace. Carefully, he sits up in bed. He grits his teeth, expecting a flash of pain and soreness in every inch of his body, but to his surprise – he feels none. All his body responds with is a blissful feeling of a newly gained agility and spirit, something one usually feels after a particularly successful and easy exercise. 

 _Well, I probably ain’t that old yet,_ Jack thinks, chuckling to himself.With surprising ease he gets up and proceeds into the bathroom in a confident pace. He discovers that he actually hasn’t felt that good in months or even years.  His usual companions – pain in his knees, joints and his back – seem to have left him alone for the time being.

Jack takes a shower, singing quietly to himself. He walks out of it feeling refreshed, like a person newly reborn. He wraps a towel about his waist and with a sly smirk he thinks about the nastiest thing he could do to wake Gabriel up.

He wipes the steamy mirror, looks at his reflection and his eyes go wide as he drops his toothbrush into the sink. He wipes the mirror clean and brings his face closer, blinking several times to make sure this is not a trick of the light.

He looks younger. Much younger.

His face is smooth and the wrinkles around his mouth and the corners of his eyes have disappeared almost entirely. His cheeks are plumper and his eyes are more clear, a vivid spark in the blue of them. And the hair! He has more hair and there are streaks of blonde in it!

‘The fuck?!” Jack exclaims at his reflection, placing both his hands against the sides of the mirror. He discovers that his arms look bigger too, muscles on them bulkier and more prominent. He takes a look at his body and marvels at how fit and taut it has gotten. He hasn’t been in such a good shape since his SEP days!

“REYES!” he shouts from the bathroom hoarsely.

Gabriel is materializing in the doorframe at once, a concerned expression on his face.

“What happened…?” he asks and his voice trails off, the look on his face shifting from concerned to a smug one as his eyes roam over Jack’s body. “Wow.”

“Can you explain this to me?” Jack demands, pointing at himself. “What is it?”

“It’s a damn fine looking body and a damn fine looking Jack Morrison,” Gabriel says quietly, rubbing the back of his head.

“Okay. But…how did that happen?? Last time I remember I was a bit older. Has it ever happened before…in your experience, maybe?”

“Well, for your information I haven’t fucked anyone since the last time I fucked you which was like…a million years ago.”

“So, you haven’t fucked anyone in your enhanced ‘reaper’ state? Am I right?”

“Yes.”

“That’s something at least.”

“Come on, Jack, what’s here to worry about? Just look at all the perks you’ve got”

Jack is breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling as he ponders the situation.

“I think I’m gonna need to consult Angela on this,” he then says.

“Sorry, Jackie,” Gabriel tells him as Jack brushes past him. “I’m a fucking mess.”

“Just don’t break your head over it yet, okay?” Jack says briefly, dressing up. “We’ll figure it out.”

Jack storms out of the room and as he navigates his way through the labyrinth of halls he bumps into Ana.

“Hello, Jack,” she tells him, eyeing him suspiciously. “Looking good today.”

“Thanks,” he says, blushing, and accelerates his pace, nearly running now.

He knocks on Angela’s door and is tremendously relieved to hear her response,

_“Come in, please.”_

He clears his throat, opens the door and steps in. He pauses right there at the threshold, hands crossed behind his back, still holding the doorknob as if he might run away at any second. He feels mightily uncomfortable and nervous.

Angela seems to be in the middle of the process of turning her room into her own little laboratory.

“Just a moment, please,” she says, her back turned to Jack as she makes some notes on her tablet. She then takes a medical kit from the table and carries it to the shelf by the window. Jack throws a quick glance around the room, registers Angela’s winged armor in the wardrobe and turns his eyes back on her, his heart skipping a bit. It seems like she has grown even more beautiful with time. To some extent he has always been attracted to her. Even though Gabriel has always been the sole ruler of his heart, women like Angela are his weakness.

At last she focuses her attention on him, her big eyes widen and her brows move up her forehead at the sight.

“Well, hello, Jack. Are you here about today’s meeting?” she says casually, although obviously shocked. “What’s …how are you?”

“Not very well,” he mumbles, shifting from one foot to another. “That’s why I’m here actually. Not about the meeting. Sorry to bother you.”

“It’s fine. What’s the matter then?”

“Don’t you see?”

She places her hands on her hips and quirks a brow at him.

“Well, you look…slightly different compared to yesterday. I thought your hair was all grey by now. Seems like I might have been mistaken.”

“Yeah, that’s exactly my problem,” Jack tells her, taking an unsure step forward. “I woke up like that, looking younger.”

He feels awkward talking to her about this and isn’t even sure how to approach the subject from the right angle. But Angela is a damn fine medic and she demonstrates just that by assuming her best professional stance.

“I see. Can you tell me what happened during the night that might have caused such a drastic change?”

Jack lets out a whizzing sigh, rubs his temple nervously.

“Well…,” he says.

“Sexual intercourse? With Reyes?” she asks flatly.

“Yes,” he blurts out.

“Now we have something to work with. Let me take some tests then, Jack, it won’t take long. I’ll need you to stay while I conduct the analysis and answer some more questions for me along the way. They might be a bit too personal.”

“Fine. Whatever you say, doc.”

Her analysis however takes a little longer than expected, Angela seems to be really concerned about the result and her prognosis is hardly relieving to Jack. Moreover, he has to tell her about the night he had with Gabriel in detail and he is only thankful that she’s one of the few who have a vast knowledge about his partner’s condition.

When the prolonged session is coming to its end, there is a shy knock on the door.

“Hey, Dr. Ziegler? Is Jack there? Can I come in?” Gabriel asks from behind it.

“Come in, Reyes,” she says, shaking her head. Her fair silky hair has gotten a little disheveled in the process. Her eyes look tired. “You might want to know about it too.”

Gabriel walks in and Angela greets him with a somewhat stern glare. Tapping a tip of the pen on the table, she waits for him to sit down in a chair by Jack’s side.  Gabriel glances at Jack before doing so, noting his red face and his nervous look.

“Is he still head over heels with you, doc?” he says good humoredly, pulling the chair closer to Jack.

“ _You_ tell me,” Angela mocks him, chuckling and shaking her head.

Jack crosses his hands over his chest.

“You wanna go through all those tests too, maybe?” he grumbles. “We’ll then see how ‘head-over-heels’ you gonna be.”

“No, thanks,” Gabriel replies, sitting down. “I’ve had my share of those. Is everything alright?”

“Now that both of you are here, I think it will be better to sum everything up from two points of view. Jack has already heard my diagnosis anyway.”

“So there _is_ bad news?” Gabriel asks and Jack lets out a long sigh.

“And you were expecting this to be the happy ones?” Angela says, pointing at Jack.

“Let’s hear the bad news first, okay?” Jack says, looking down.

“Fine,” Angela nods. “Jack’s health has undergone serious genetic alterations during the last few hours. His whole immune system has been shattered and, as a result, the cells of his body appear to be regenerating at an unstable pace. Does it sound familiar to you, Reyes?”

“Go on,” he says gloomily.

“This can result in serious damage to his internal organs and their functioning, blood disease, serious illness or even unexpected fatal outcome. Because his system isn’t adapted to such drastic changes like yours. On the bright side, however, this side effect appears to be temporary and he’s stabilizing quickly. So he won’t be getting any younger. Unless of course you activate the process once again. Which I strongly NOT recommend.”

“So, there’s no immediate threat to his life then?” Gabriel asks, rubbing his beard. He looks pale and a bit scared. Jack figures that an angry Angela can have such an effect on people.  

“No,” she says. “But there could’ve been! Jack could’ve been dead before he had a chance to wake up again.”

“What’s the good news then, doc?” Jack asks.

“Well,” she proceeds, brushing aside a stray lock of hair, shifting in her chair and assuming a more composed position. “Good thing, firstly, is to be added to Gabriel’s medical history. It appears he HAS healing powers after all. Although they work in a very…specific way. And, as far as I understand, only with those he truly cares about. So you probably shouldn’t doubt his intentions with you, Jack.”

Jack glances at Gabriel, can’t help but smile. Gabriel mirrors the smile briefly before turning his attention back to Angela.

“The reverse process that occurred within the structure of your cells as a result of those ‘healing powers’ has in fact cured you of some of the diseases that were developing in your liver, your heart, your kidneys and your joints. You had a whole bunch of them and if it weren’t for the occurrence one of them would’ve killed you in a few years. Now, however (if we discard the risk of a whole new bunch of diseases and disorders that might occur as a result of such a stress on your organism), you will have more years to live. Also, this was the reason you got visibly younger. I think this is all I have to say to you for now. I will look closer into the case though, and if anything catches my attention, I will let you know.”

“Seems like there’s more positive to it than negative,” Gabriel says.

"It doesn’t mean that it was the right thing to do. As I’ve said, the outcome could’ve been completely different,” Angela explains, pointing her pen at Gabriel sternly.

“Thank you,” Jack tells her. “I’m glad you’re back with us.”

“I will need to monitor your condition for a few more days,” she replies. And then turns to Gabriel again. “And I am very interested in you, Reyes. Would’ve been nice to have more tests taken.”

“No-no-no,” Gabriel says, waving his hands at her. “Thanks for your time, doc.”

He turns into smoke and flees through the nearest air inlet.    

“Please, Jack, hear what I say. Don’t let this happen again,” Angela urges him. “Things like that can kill you.”

“I understand, Angela,” he tells her, placing his hand on the table. “I need to tell you something. There’s…a new side to Gabriel. I’m not sure that even you could cure it because it sits so deep under his skin. His ‘reaper’ side. When I saw it…truly saw it…I realized that it’s still _him_. You see? I couldn’t turn my back on him just because he’s not human.”

“Yes, Jack, but it doesn’t make an excuse for him. Or for you to that extent. The fact that he is a monster who can show affection to you doesn’t mean that he deserves forgiveness. I refused to work on his case because of how unethical it was. I could never understand how he could allow Moira do all those horrible things to him. That’s the price we have to pay for going too far. And he has always been so eager, so self-confident. I’m willing to be here because I know how important the cause is. But I could never accept your connection with him. To be precise, I’m terrified by how far you’re willing to take that connection. You’re putting your life on the line and you’re not doing it for the sake of the team, despite what you say. You’re doing it for yourself. Because you’re addicted to Gabriel Reyes. And that is the main side effect of his ‘reaper’ condition. He is dragging you down the same road. And you’re so willing to follow.”

With an impatient gesture Angela brushes tears from her eyes, adjust the pile of medical books on the table and rises to her feet. Jack stands up too. He feels empty inside, her words feel like a proper slap in the face.

“I am sorry,” he says curtly. “For disappointing you.”

“I still consider you a friend, Jack. I still consider you a family and I still love you. So, please, come back to me for further examination. I know that you would always choose him over us. But let me at least try to help you.”

Jack nods, swirls around and rushes out of her room, her sudden conclusion weighing heavily on his heart.

 

***

 

_One week later_

 

Jack and Gabriel are standing at a bus stop. It’s somewhere around the middle of the night. It’s dark, cold and it’s raining. The “Plan” is finally being put into effect. Its details might seem simple and straightforward at first glance, but on a large scale of things no one knows if it will work out in the end. Talon is just way too tricky.

First step will be meeting Gabriel’s shadow associate with whom he managed to attain a sort of secret arrangement behind Akande’s back. Second step will be going to the party Akande is throwing in Venice in a day and _effectively_ killing off each of his loyal associates. As Gabriel said during the final meeting they held back at the abandoned school in Egypt - there can be no prisoners, no hostages taken, because for the high-ranking people of Talon imprisonment is nothing but a temporary delay, a chance to come up with another, better and more effective plan and none of the newly reunited Overwatch team would want that.

Jack can see where Gabriel’s hatred is stemming from and he can see that he might be pushing the team’s limits a bit too far, that without Jack’s support they wouldn’t agree to his extreme methods (although he would’ve gone for it anyway). But, knowing him on a deeply personal level, having learnt him anew and all too well, he also can see that dealing with Talon in _this_ ruthless way is absolutely necessary. And he will be there to watch Gabriel’s back just like he always used to in all the years they had together.     

Jack’s visor is glowing in the rainy haze of the night as he watches raindrops stream down along the sharp edges of Reaper’s mask. Reaper is standing by his side, wearing a rich maroon coat veined with fiery yellow threads. His mask is adorned with a pair of curvy horns and is designed in such a way that it seems like fire is literally burning inside of it. “ _Keeps me warm in weather like that_ ,” he explained to Jack jokingly when they were getting ready. But still Jack finds himself staring, wondering if it’s a demon or a human he’s helping. Apparently Gabriel wanted to appear dramatic and pompous. Apparently, that is what their “associate” expects of him.

“Once we get there,” Reaper says, tilting his head; flames burst out from the eyeholes of his mask. “You’ll have to remember about one important thing. _Never_ take off your visor.”

“I get that. I’m not an idiot,” Jack assures him, rolling his shoulders. He’s still not used to the excessive flexibility in his joints. “You ever gonna tell me this guy’s name?”

“No. You know him. You’ll see for yourself.”

“What’s the point of such secrecy? You don’t trust me enough? Wouldn’t it be better if the others learn some of the names too so that they know what they’re risking their lives for?”

“They won’t have to risk anything. I’ll make sure of that. All they’ve got to do is work together on this according to the plan.”

They look at each other silently, strange glowing figures in the night, and Jack is wondering what exactly Gabriel means by his words. He wants to ask him but then a black Cadillac appears from out of nowhere and pulls over by the bus stop almost soundlessly. A man dressed in a black suit steps out of it, walks around the vehicle and opens the door for them. He is patiently waiting under the ceaseless streams of rain. Gabriel is the first one to proceed into the car and Jack follows.

The driver is silent all the way to the appointed place and Jack feels out of place in the posh interior of the vehicle unlike Gabriel who seems like a perfect and proper guest of honor here. They glide silently along the dark muddy streets, making their way through the city of Venice and out of it, into the darker suburbs.

They drive up to a glorious villa not unlike the one Jack ambushed in a fit of fury after what Gabriel revealed to him. The feeling of outrage still flames up in his veins at the sight. He lets out an exasperated sigh and makes an effort to keep himself in check, remembering what Gabriel said about letting him take the lead of the situation.

The door of the car is opened for them once again and they are greeted by an oddly looking cyborg-servant who bows courteously to them and invites them to follow. As they walk towards the villa Jack observes the posh gardens growing around the main vista full of exotic lush flowers and the sounds of birds singing. The rain has stopped and he glances at the sky where the full moon is now glowing brightly. He wonders where they’re going to be when the next full moon emerges in the sky, his thoughts accompanied by a soft swooshing of Gabriel’s coat.

At the entrance to the villa an omnic greets them, dressed in an expensive suit with a bright red necktie. _Maximilien_. Jack recognizes him at once. Now he understands why Gabriel warned him about the visor. Maximilien would’ve hated to learn that Jack Morrison himself is behind it and their alliance would’ve failed most certainly.

“Welcome, Reaper, my friend,” he addresses Gabriel in a mechanical voice, shaking his hand. “It is so good to see you again. Everything is ready for your return.”

“Good. This is Soldier 76, the man I told you about,” Gabriel says, clutching Jack’s shoulder and pulling him closer to the omnic.

“Indeed you did,” Maximilien responds, chuckling and giving Jack a heartfelt handshake. “And I already know everything about this man.”

A chill runs down Jack’s spine. He slants a look of quizzical suspicion at Gabriel who appears to be unstirred. The expression on his face is a mystery concealed behind the mask.  

“I’ve heard about what you do with Talon people,” Maximilien tells him presently. “And I wanted to say that people like you are always welcome in this house. I am honored to meet you. Reaper keeps only the best company and he will go far being that good at choosing the right people.”

Jack nods curtly, swallowing hard.  

“The pleasure’s mine,” he says.

“Oh, the pleasure. _You_ are my pleasure. And a guilty one as Reaper knows I’m sure. I wonder who is the man behind the mask though”

“Everything in its turn, Maximilien,” Reaper cuts him off, shifting closer towards the omnic. “We don’t have time for this. Isn’t Soldier 76 the man you needed?”

“Oh, he is!”

“Well, he’s here as I promised. Let’s stop at that for now. Masks will be the issue for later. For when we both fulfill our part of the deal.”

“You speak wisely, my friend,” Maximilien says with a curious shade of Italian accent. “You identity is indeed a peculiar question. One we will most surely get back to. But now, follow me. Follow me, Soldier 76, I’ll show you a place where you will be treated most accordingly.”

After the exchange of formalities they proceed into the villa, past the rich interiors of marble, red and velvet. Nervous, Jack grips the handle of his rifle tighter as they walk deeper into the enemy’s territory. He wishes he could exchange a single glance with Gabriel, to make sure everything’s going according to plan, but Reaper has an air of perfect indifference about him, he’s walking grandly, broadly, like he’s the master of the house, like he’s the master of the whole world already. Looking at him, Jack can see why he’s gotten so far in his pursue of higher position in Talon. He can see why he’s been successful in it.

Maximilien shows Jack into a huge and glorious room, round in shape and full of cushioned poufs and chairs. There’s also an enormous sofa upholstered in raw silk, decorated with golden threads. The interior of the room is velvet, pink and red in color, creating the atmosphere of intimacy, of luxury and vulgarity.

“You will spend the night here, Soldier 76,” Maximilien tells him. “I will order a dinner for you. Much as I want to invite you to dine with me, I’m afraid it’s not possible. You see? Because I don’t usually dine at all.”

Maximilien chuckles and brings his hands together under his chest.

“And tomorrow you will have a taste of Talon’s blood,” he adds. “I will make sure of it. Meanwhile we will have to discuss something with my dear and trusted friend Reaper. I know you can understand. In the meantime my people will keep you entertained, so don’t worry about a thing and have fun.”

Having said that, he nods, swirls around and heads out of the room. Jack is watching Gabriel desperately for any sign. Last thing he wants is for them to get separated like this. But Gabriel doesn’t spare a single glance in his direction and walks out of the room after Maximilien, closing the door, closing off from Jack.

Jack’s heart is hammering in his chest when he’s left all alone.

_“You probably shouldn’t doubt his intentions with you.”_

_“He demonstrated that his loyalty still rests with us…”_

“Damn it,” he says through greeted teeth. He seems to be unable to get rid of his trust issues these days. Things are either going to hell after this night or…somewhere else he’s afraid to even think about. He probably shouldn’t be looking this far ahead. He turns around hopefully when the door opens again, but those are just two omnics serving a dinner for him as Maximilien promised.

“Thank you,” he tells them. They nod and glide out of the room quietly, leaving a table laden with all kinds of delicacies for him. He doesn’t touch any of those.

Jack walks up to the quilted posh sofa and lands onto it. He places his rifle aside and takes a closer look around the room. His hands are folded awkwardly in his lap as he attempts to lean back and realizes that he can do so only in most uncomfortable position. He straightens back up then and notices a little glove-shaped control panel seating on a golden coffee table.

_Well, it must be here for a reason._

Without giving it much thought he presses one of the buttons and suddenly soft music starts playing from everywhere around him, filling the room. He jumps in his seat but then relaxes. It isn’t loud but quite pleasant and appears to be calming his strained nerves.

Curious, Jack presses another button and the wall in front of him suddenly comes to life. With a soft swoosh it slides aside completely, revealing a round glass stage behind a glass panel. The general light fades a little and the stage starts to glow red, blue, green, yellow, colors interchanging each other in slow varying sequences as robotic dancers walk out on the stage.

Jack wants to rub his eyes but his visor is in the way so he only chuckles. _That Maximilien guy isn’t so simple_ , he thinks, watching as the robot girls sway to the rhythm of the music and start to undress for him. He’s pretty sure there’re so much more options included on the control panel but he’s not willing to press his luck any further.

That’s how Gabriel finds him when he finally returns from his meeting with Maximilien: sitting on the sofa with his chin propped up on his palm, swaying gently to the music.

“Having fun, I see?” he asks Jack and Jack turns to look at him lazily.

“Well, I had to do something while I’m stuck here,” he grumbles. “Is everything okay? Is he willing to cooperate?”

Reaper walks closer to him until he stands right in front of Jack, intentionally blocking the view to get Jack’s full attention.

“Of course he is,” he says. “He hates Akande’s guts and he thinks I’m giving him an opportunity to take his place. I’m willing to let him have this illusion for now.”

“That’s good,” Jack nods. “You’ve always had good eye for the right people after all.”  

“Not ‘right’ but he might be necessary,” Gabriel tells him. “What’s with the girls? Are you having a change of tastes all of a sudden?”

Jack shrugs. It’s hard to read his emotions behind the visor and he’s glad for it. There’s jealousy in Reaper’s voice.

“You wanna have something better to look at?” Reaper suddenly asks and Jack glances up at him. He smirks under his visor.

“You sure that Maximilien guy isn’t watching our every step right now and isn’t measuring our every heartbeat?”

“So what? Let him. I’m pretty sure he would love to be in my place.”

With these words Gabriel presses his palm to his chest and his armor evaporates under it, revealing a corset that matches his coat. Jack swallows hard, his throat suddenly gone dry and he forgets completely about the cyborgs dancing seductively on the stage behind the glass right now.

“Is it…is it… _something else_ you wanted to show me…?” he asks, reaching out automatically, needing to touch Gabriel’s perfect hourglass shape clad in a closefitting laced corset that accentuates it so perfectly, propping his ripped pecs up and giving him a real cleavage. It appears to be a little bit too small for him, a little bit too tight, but that’s what makes the view so irresistible.

Jack’s hands roam the curves, feeling the laced material as Gabriel steps closer to him, his pants disappearing too, leaving him in nothing but a coat, a corset and a pair of black panties that make Jack’s dick twitch eagerly, make him rock hard in a matter of seconds. Suddenly he’s no longer bored, very much interested and awake. If there were a control panel attached to this – he would’ve pressed all the buttons. His cheeks flush furiously under the visor.

“Yes,” Reaper whispers, letting Jack feel him everywhere. “Do you like what you see?”

Jack nods and pulls him onto his lap. He takes one glove off and then explores Gabriel, savoring the sensation. His hand travels between his legs and he fondles him, squeezing him gently through the transparent material of his black panties, discovering that he’s hard for him too. Jack tilts his head and lets out a shaky sigh, suddenly dangerously close to coming without even proceeding with what he has in mind.

“So wet already, Reaper. Is it for me?” he breathes out, massaging his cock and his balls through the soft fabric. “Want to fuck you.”

He wishes he could kiss him too, but even now he remembers about the rule of keeping their masks on no matter the circumstances.

“So what are you waiting for then? A special invitation? It’s all for you,” Reaper says, breathing shallowly, swaying his hips to the sound of music and pushing greedily into Jack’s palm. Jack slides his hands around him, moves the tiny string of the panties aside from the cleft of his ass, spreads his cheeks and pushes one finger in…only to discover that he’s perfectly prepared and slick for him there too.

“You wanna kill me, don’t you?” he pleads, panting, as he adds another finger in.

“If so it’s just the right night for a kill,” Reaper tells him. “I wanted to make it perfect.”

“Damn you,” Jack hisses. “It _is_ perfect.”

Reaper rises up on his knees a little as Jack undoes his pants hurriedly, freeing his achingly hard cock. He doesn’t lose any more time and navigates Gabriel right onto it, reveling in the feeling of sinking inside of him so effortlessly. He leans back, discovering which positon this sofa has been actually destined for, places his head on the pillow and moans, pushing into Reaper’s welcoming heat, canting his hips to find the best angle while holding him down by the hips.

When he finds the right spot he shifts again, sitting up and wrapping his arms about Gabriel’s form. He fucks into him, moaning and enjoying the sounds of him echoing his moans through the mask, the sounds of their bodies slamming into each other under the music flow.

They haven’t done this ever since _“the accident”_ out of fear that something might go wrong again. But they both aren’t exactly those who give up easily.

“You are… you look so good in all this,” Jack tells Gabriel, caressing him.

“I was hoping you’ll like this one… _ahhh_ , please, harder… _go harder”_

Jack obliges him, reaching up. Reaper tilts his head and their masks bump in the most awkward of kisses, but even that seems to fuel them up. Jack undoes laces of Gabriel corset a little to let him breathe, seeing how his chest is rising and falling desperately under its tightness. He buries his visor between his pecs, breathing in his scent, losing control over his own body.

“I’m…you’re getting me close,” Reaper breathes out, pushing back on his cock. “Ugh…I-I’m gonna…”

“Wait for me, baby, please,” Jack urges him, looking up at him as he squeezes the base of his cock through his panties.

“ _Hnng,”_ is all he gets in reply as his lover stops moving whatsoever and arches his back in a needy attempt to make him come faster. Few more uncoordinated thrusts get Jack just there and he comes, letting go off Gabriel cock and watching him come at once too, leaning back and following him.

Their masks bump into each other again with a soft clink and they both seem to have forgotten entirely that they’re deprived of lips to lips contact.

“We’re gonna mess the damn sofa,” Jack says weakly as they are recovering, still moving inside of Gabriel gently and feeling the fluid trickling down onto his thighs.

“To hell with it,” Gabriel replies, wrapping his arms about Jack’s neck. To Jack it feels strange and somewhat endearing to find himself in such a tight grip of Death himself. But he’s willing to stay by his side come hell or high water.

“It was perfect,” he whispers in his embrace.

“I know,” Reaper chuckles in a deep voice. “I know your every weakness.”

“Should I be worried?” Jack asks.

Reaper shakes his head.

“No,” he says. “You should be thankful.”

***

 

On the following day Jack makes his way towards the place where Akande will be throwing a party. He leaves Maximilien’s villa earlier than Gabriel and the omnic himself as he wants to make sure that the rest of the team are ready for the mission. Jack moves swiftly in the shadows of the quickly setting evening, unnoticed by occasional passersby. He vanishes into the darkest part of the city – the cemetery, from where there opens a perfect view on their final destination.

Jack leans against a gravestone and through his visor he watches as the first guests arrive to the party - expensive cars change one after another delivering the chosen elite to the grand entrance decorated with exotic flowers. Soon Jack registers the host of the party himself – Akande, dressed in a perfectly white suit. Amelie Lacroix is by his side, ever-watchful, holding him protectively by the arm.

It is time to act.

Jack activates his comm,

“Ana, do you copy?” he asks.

There’s nothing but indistinct noise at first but then he hears a reply,

“I copy, Jack. Ana’s here.”

“Is everything ready?” he asks.

“Yes, everything’s in perfect order and going according to the plan.

 “Is _everyone_ ready?” he asks warily and when Ana replies he can hear a smile in her voice.

“We are all in our positions and can’t wait to assist you in any way we can,” she says. “The rest is up to Gabriel.”

“Be careful. There’s Lacroix by his side,” Jack warns her. “She alone can make situation really difficult. Watch out for her.”

“I understand.”

“Good luck then. See you after this is finally over.”

“Good luck, Jack. Remember that I always have your back.”

As soon as he disconnects he hears a soft rustle of the grass somewhere close behind and before he has a chance to jump to his feet, a shadow bends down over him from the gravestone against which he’s leaning. His heart nearly jumps out of his chest when he sees a skull peering at him from under a wide-brimmed hat, outlined by the silver moonlight.

He takes a step back and doubles over, pressing his hand to his stomach.

“Fuck you! Nearly gave me a heart attack, Gabriel!” he groans, breathing heavily.

“You’ll live, you’re younger now after all,” Reaper says casually, sliding off the gravestone and manifesting full-height in front of Jack. Jack takes another deep inhale and straightens up to take a look at his intruder.

Reaper is dressed grandly, in rich ruby colored coat to match his eyes, an elegant red jacket, pants and boots. Instead of a mask he appears to be wearing a skull now. His attire reminds Jack of tales of Phantom of the Opera or The Masque of the Red Death. By all means, Gabriel is dressed for the party and dressed to kill.

“You look impressive,” he says, smiling. “How did you find me here?”

“I have my ways.”

“Come on! I’ve made sure to cover my tracks, there’s no way you could…”

“It’s your scent,” Reaper cuts him off, clicking his talons.

Jack rubs the back of his head, blushing.

“Well, I ain’t smelling that bad if that’s what you’re trying to imply here.”

Reaper takes a step closer to him and chuckles softly.

“Didn’t say it was bad. It’s sweet actually, the way you smell, I like it – still lingers all over me. So it really wasn’t that hard.”

“Oh, that…,” Jack says. He too is still overwhelmed by the feeling of Gabriel’s closeness.

“Are you ready for what’s coming, Jackie?” Reaper asks him.

“Of course I am,” Jack replies at once, closing the remaining distance between them and placing his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder, squeezing it gently.

Gabriel tilts his head and scoffs softly, wrapping his arm around Jack’s waist.

"Will you give us the last kiss then?” he asks.

Jack nods and leans in as Gabriel hooks his mask with his talon and raises it a little, revealing his scarred mouth. Jack unclasps his visor and takes it off for the first time in many hours, breathing in the fresh night air. Their lips meet in a soft and gentle kiss that lingers on and on. When they break apart Jack plants a tiny peck to the corner of Gabriel’s mouth and whispers, “I love you.”

“Love you too, baby” Gabriel says, pulling his mask back down. 

“When this is over, I’m gonna keep my promise, Gabe,” Jack tells him with emotion. “We’re gonna start a new life together you and me.”

At that Reaper suddenly throws his head back and laughs heartily, sending chill down Jack’s spine. The throaty laughter fills the dark cemetery, sounds creepy among the resting souls and the ancient gravestones forgotten by time.

“You have always been so naïve, Jackie,” Gabriel tells him when the fit of laughter is finally over. Jack looks down.

Gabriel turns into smoke and twines around him, wrapping his shadow claws about his shoulders, secluding him into a tight grip.

“But no matter what comes next now, know that I’ll always be waiting for your soul on the other side. You will always hear my call. So even if you’ll die and go to Heaven, boy, you will have to find your way down to me.”

Jack shudders under the weight of those words but when he comes up with a reply his shadow lover has already disappeared into the night. Jack refocuses his visor on Akande’s grand estate then and watches Gabriel entering the line of guests together with Maximilien. He sighs heavily, sensing the inevitable storm coming that is not going to end well for all of them.

When the party begins he notifies his team, leaves the cemetery and makes his way towards the western part of the building. There he neutralizes two guards standing on watch and for a while he remains motionless, unseen among the shadows. He listens, tunes in to the silence of the night filled only with distant sounds of music playing inside.

Expertly, he spots two cameras on the wall of the building and, as he jumps up it nimbly and climbs it, he makes sure to avoid their field of view, counting down their timing with surgical precision.

Undetected he sneaks inside from the third floor of the estate. A small army of guards is in his way but not for long. Having dealt with them, room by room he moves on soundlessly. He gets to his position above the main dancing hall and only then does he allow himself to recover his breath. From now on it all depends on Gabriel and the rest of the team.

As soon as he settles in his spot above there’s an incoming call from Ana.

“Something’s gone wrong, Jack,” she reports hurriedly, clearly worried. “We think Akande might have figured out Gabriel’s betrayal!”

“Seize him now before it’s too late! Go!” Jack commands and jams the comm entirely. He’s prepared for this. He also knows that Gabriel is prepared for such an outcome too and this is hardly going to stop him.

He jumps out from his hiding place and, making a twenty foot way down he lands onto the floor where the guests are already screaming and panicking. He can see why. A death blossom is blooming in the middle of the hall, killing everyone in its merciless range. Jack heads right for it. People and omnics in expensive suits and dresses recoil from him, pointing at him with fear written all over their faces, some of them recognizing him as the vigilante they heard stories about, but he doesn’t pay them any mind.

Midway to Gabriel, he spots Akande – furious, gesticulating and shouting something as he’s being escorted by his guards out of the hall. Jack stops in his tracks, realizing that the key enemy is about to flee from under their noses. He changes his direction abruptly and rushes to chase him instead while Gabriel is dealing with his subordinates under the glorious glow of the party floodlights. 

He tracks them up the stairs, past a secret corridor, until he finds himself in a vast round hall leading to Akande’s office. Ana, Lena and Hana Song are already there, by the door behind which Akande has apparently hidden together with his remaining men. Hana is without her MEKA and Jack figures that she had to activate self-distraction somewhere along the way. Whatever they had to deal with – it was a nasty blow.  

The only obstacle between them and Akande now is a steel door and one fragile woman shielding it with her back – Amelie Lacroix, the one “successful” experiment of Talon. The living weapon they made to kill her husband, one of the most powerful agents of Overwatch. Jack could have suffered the fate of Gerard Lacroix too…it was close, too close.

“Amelie,” he addresses her, lowering his rifle. “Please, let us through. You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to suffer the consequences of this.”

But she still has her sights set on him.

“С’est la vie. I have nothing left but this, Soldier 76,” she tells him. “So, I am not letting you pass.”

“Please, don’t make us force you to do it, Amelie,” Ana urges her.

“How come you are still here, old lady?” she says with a mocking smile. “I thought I deprived you of your only good eye not so long ago.”

“Old soldiers are hard to kill,” Ana huffs, aiming a sleeping dart at Amelie. A shot follows - the dart shatters into thousands of tiny pieces and falls to the floor. Meanwhile, Widowmaker takes another careful aim at the company of intruders.

“We are yet to see if that is true!” she declares coldly.

Jack growls, steps forward, shielding his team and swaying his pulse rifle back to action again, but suddenly swirls of red smoke manifest in front of him and he knows all too well what follows. Death has caught up with them.

Gabriel materializes before Widowmaker, his coat soiled in dark splotches of blood.  Without hesitation he points both his shotguns at her.

“This will be the last warning for you,” he tells her, blocking Jack’s attempts to stop him.

“You!” she exclaims. “Pathetic traitor!” 

“Don’t you call me that,” Reaper growls, his voice terrifying. “I never betrayed my family. Can’t say the same about you.”

With these words he takes off his mask and reveals his face to her. There’s a change, a deep emotion crossing her cold and expressionless face. Her eyes widen. Seems like her whole life flashes past her and reflects in the pools of them, her breath hitches.

“Gabriel. Reyes?” she asks, lowering her rifle, forgetting entirely about it. The corners of her mouth twitch pitifully and tears start streaming down her cheeks.

And then she seems to make up her mind. She nods, straightening up and rolling her shoulders proudly.

“ _Ainsi soit-il_ ,” she says. “It should be _you_ then. Do it, because I won’t let you pass.”

“Amelie?” Ana calls to her.

  _“Do it_.” 

A blood-curdling deafening shot thunders through the hall followed by a gasp from Lena and a weak sound of a body hitting the floor.

At the same moment the door behind them breaks open and a whole new army of guards is flooding through. In the midst of it Jack sees Torbjorn, Reindhart and Briggite, throwing them around like puppets.

“They’re coming for us!!” Reindhart shouts. “Get your weapons ready. This will be one hell of a fight!!”

Jack looks back only to see red smoke, moving over Amelie’s body and disappearing through the steel door.

“Gabriel!” he yells, and then looks around helplessly at Ana and his team, torn between two fires.

“Go!” Ana suddenly tells him. “We will fight them off, don’t worry!  You’ve got to go after him, Jack!”

He doesn’t need to be told twice. With a curt nod he turns his back on them and runs for the door as they engage in the fight. Behind it there’s another corridor lying ahead and he runs along it, following the last traces of the disappearing red smoke, sprinting faster, faster, until blood is pounding in his temples, until he’s running so fast he doesn’t think he will ever be able to stop.

Suddenly he sprints right onto a vast balcony above the office illuminated by a scant reddened light. Jack brakes abruptly but proceeds to skid along the marble floor for another twenty feet. He manages to stop right before the balustrade. He sees Gabriel below, totally surrounded and deprived of his guns. He has no idea how this could’ve happened but Gabriel has been _trapped_!

He hears Akande laugh and strike his hands together. Electric chains appear out of thin air then and reach out for Gabriel. They close around his wrists and his ankles, preventing him from turning into smoke.  Jack has no desire to see what might follow. He takes aim at the man standing by the control panel, activates his visor and shoots him in the head. He then shoots at the panel, disables it and proceeds to shoot off all the chains, but one. Before he has a chance to fire at it, someone pushes him from behind. He loses his balance and falls down from the balcony, dropping his rifle along the way. He hits the floor hard, but by some miracle he doesn’t lose consciousness. Weak, he crawls towards Gabriel, looking up at the balcony and seeing nothing but a shadow lurking there. The door locks and the crowd of Akande’s people effectively block the last route to their escape.

Jack stops by Gabriel’s side, unable to rise back up to his feet. For all he knows he has at least a couple of bones broken. He can feel power exhuming from his partner. Somehow, he manages to look threatening even without his weapons and with one hand still stuck in the merciless chain.

“Well-well-well, look who we got there. Not one, but two birds caught in the cage. How convenient. Not so brave now without your rifle, soldier?  Or _is_ it _yours_? Looks like it’s the one you stole from _me_.”

Akande steps forward from the midst of his friends and subordinates, armored to the teeth. He’s still wearing his pristine white suit, his gold jewelry shining in the scant light. His stance is proud, confident.

“Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes!” he exclaims. “Yes, I know who you are now. How ill-mannered of you to kill my most trusted associate.”

“You’re going to pay for that too, Akande,” Gabriel growls, his chain clattering. “You’re going to pay for all your deeds!”

“Look who is talking,” Akande scoffs and shakes his head. “I was right not to trust you, “Reaper”. I always knew that in the end you would turn out to be a tricky piece of shit. After all I did for you! Should’ve kept you locked in that dungeon instead and let my people have their way with you, huh? You were such a good and facile thing back there, don’t you remember? Until you opened that cunning little mouth of yours and sworn your loyalty to me - Akande Ogundimu! And now dare you to break that promise!?”

“And you, Jack Morrison,” he proceeds, turning his attention to Jack. “You just don’t know how to _die already_ , do you? You stick your nose in my business, play mean tricks with me. Your life term has expired long time ago and today you’re going to meet your doom, together with your love bird!”

“This is not gonna happen,” Jack announces, swallowing hard, his heart sinks as he realizes that they’ve indeed reached the end of it. But, at least, they are going to go together.

“Oh, it is. And I can’t wait to see your pitiful deaths,” Akande laughs. He snaps his fingers and points at Jack and Gabriel.

“Kill them,” he commands.

A blast of shots explodes in the office and in the next instance Gabriel turns to Jack and spreads his coat, covering him with it, wrapping himself about him and shielding him from the killing fire all around.

“No, Gabe, no!” Jack yells, surrounded by darkness. He can hear muffled sounds of bastions exploding, he can hear Akande’s mad laughter and Gabriel’s weakening moans of pain as he takes all the shots. Jack clings to him, scared beyond any reason as all he can do is watch the love of his life die in his arms, just like that. They sink to the ground and although not a single bullet reaches Jack he feels like he’s pierced by them through and through, his life force leaving him, like he’s been drained and killed in the cruelest of ways, like his heart has been torn out of his chest while he’s still alive and breathing.

 “NO!!” he cries as the smoke evaporates from around him, as the wall of protection weakens and he is holding Gabriel’s lifeless body. He doesn’t realize that the gunfire stopped and now there’s silence hanging over the room mixed with the smell of blood and ozone.

“I’m sorry, Jack,” Akande says to the sound of Jack’s frantic pain. “You will have to live with this now. Until the day you die.”

Jack only shakes his head, tears streaming down his cheeks as he rocks whatever’s left of his lover in his arms. “No,” he whispers. “No, no, no…”

“This will teach you forever to stay away from the might of Talon. This will be the best lesson you and your people will ever learn.”

Jack hardly hears what Akande’s saying to him, killed and numbed by his loss but he can suddenly feel that Gabriel’s body has gotten too light. He takes off his visor and tosses it aside – no need for it now. He wipes his eyes with the back of his hand and as he looks down he sees that there’s no body in his arms. His eyes widen. He’s clutching at the empty coat. Jack lifts the skull and discovers that there’s nothing under it. He stops sobbing then and glances around at Akande and his people.

It looks like Akande is no less shocked by the circumstance, his subordinates are looking around and there’s panic in their eyes, some of them suddenly start screaming, shooting chaotically at the walls.

And then Jack sees it too. A dark thing crawling along the office walls, coloring them in black, thousands of scarlet eyes opening up in the body of it as it’s gnashing its teeth at the armored crowd.

Now Gabriel’s laughter fills the room, mad and violent and merciless.

“How foolish of you, Akande!” Gabriel declares and his own voice is mixed with hundreds of others, coming out distorted, augmented. “To think that you can kill me _that_ easily!”

Akande recoils, looking around but never knowing which eyes he should look at.

“Weren’t you the one who ordered to create me? Weren’t you the one who observed my creation? Haven’t you learned your lesson, Ogundimu the Successor?”

“What are you?! What are you, monster?! Answer me!!” Akande screams at the shadow and empties his gun into one of the eyes. This only amuses Gabriel. The shadow darkens and growls at the crowd, making them shrink and tremble in fear.

“I am the one who will put an end to you, Successor. I am Death and I have come to collect your soul today. Although it is so pitiful it probably tastes like shit. I am disgusted by you and I always have been. It makes me so alive to see you finally cornered here in your own office, to see your weak attempts to struggle. The time has come, Successor, and you are the ones who are going to pay for all that you did to me and to my people!”

Two enormous claws break out from the wall and swing like scythes over the crowd, cutting their way through it and killing half of Akande’s people in an instant. Two huge jaws follow them, swallowing the bloodied bodies left on floor.

Jack turns away, squeezes his eyes shut tightly, still clutching at the coat like a child scared of a monster in the room. He doesn’t dare to move. He can feel blood literally raining upon him as Reaper enacts his final retribution. He’s numb, shaken and shocked by what he’s witnessed. The monster never touches him though.

The screams and splashing noises and gunfire goes on forever it seems until at last there’s silence, complete and pristine like the white of Akande’s suit, which is now a bloody mess on the floor. The shadow is gone and when the Overwatch team breaks into the office they find Jack in the exactly same position. Reindhart has to carry him out of there and it is only few hours later when he finds the strength to speak and tells them what happened. None of the Talon members have been left alive. And Gabriel is nowhere to be seen.

As soon as they arrive back to Egypt Angela assigns complete bed rest to Jack. He has broken ribs and few bruises but, apart from that and his general mental shock, he’s fine. During these days Jack keeps Reaper’s coat and his mask, clinging to it at nights, still not sure if he died or not back there. His nightmares start afresh with Gabriel dying again and again and Jack failing to save him. They’re always bloody and the monster is inevitably present in them.

Jack waits and waits and stares at the starry skies until, few days later, his nightmare, his lover - is back. In the night he manifests in Jack’s room, his shape outlined against a huge window. Jack sits up in bed slowly, squints at his guest.

“Is it you?” he asks, wondering if he’s dreaming. “Are you alive?”

The figure hunches in the dark, lets out a sigh.

“It is me,” he finally replies. “I am alive still.”

“Come here then, please,” Jack urges him.

And when Gabriel does he wraps his arms about him, places his cheek onto his shoulder and holds him close, listening greedily to his heartbeat and his breathing.

“I thought you died there,” Jack sobs into the crook of his neck. “I thought you died, you bastard.”

“Me too, Jackie,” Gabriel replies, caressing his back, kissing his wet cheeks and wiping away his tears. “But I’m here now and it is all in the past. I am sorry I scared you like that. I love you very much, Jackie. I love you more than anything.”

“Don’t leave me ever again then.”

“I won’t.”

That is how they spend the rest of the night - back in each other’s arms as their world shifts yet again, taking a new direction, bringing in the consequences they’re yet to discover on their hard way back to grace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued soon!


	6. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With his trembling hands he fishes a pack of Ana’s cigarettes from a pocket of his jacket – he doesn’t remember how he got hold of those. Doesn’t matter now. If Gabriel is going to disappear, he might as well hurry up and disappear too. So he lights a cigarette and places it between his lips, puffing on it greedily. A lonely bird is crying somewhere in the distance, by the pond, and he listens to that cry, feeling his heart throb at the loneliness he thinks he can understand in it. 
> 
> The sun peers out cheerfully above tree tops when Angela emerges from the cabin and her face is paler than the snow that covers the ground. Jack realizes that he is not prepared to hear bad news at all. He shakes his head, breathing out noisily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check the tags before reading this chapter pls ;)

**vi. Revelations**

While Jack is still recovering Gabriel takes on the task of reorganizing and reestablishing the new _Talon_ organization. Most of Akande’s former associates chose to join this new organization rather than become its enemies and accepted Gabriel as the new leader. But there’re also those few left who preferred to stick their heads in the sand or to go on the run, to reunite somewhere else and start anew. They will have to be hunted down and dealt with. And Gabriel is going to take care of this personally using all the knowledge and experience he managed to gather while working for Talon.  

The new organization doesn’t have a name yet – it’s no longer Overwatch because its name is forever stained in blood. But it’s no longer Talon either because its terrorist activities have been finally stopped after long years of painstaking preparations. Justice has been served, at least to some extent.

The one most urgent issue they start to investigate is Maximilien who disappeared without a trace after the Venice massacre. Gabriel and the rest of the team are working on tracking him down when suddenly Gabriel’s own health falters. Such drastic change was to be expected after the transformation he went through and Jack feared that sooner or later that gruesome experience would result in inevitable consequences. Although he hoped with all his heart he was mistaken.

This doesn’t happens at once and at first no one suspects that something is going on with Gabriel because, just like always, he prefers to deal with his problems on his own. His health became a very delicate issue long time ago and after his bad experience of entrusting it with Moira he has grown even more secretive about it.

The first one to notice that something is wrong is Jack. Gabriel’s visits become a rare occurrence and he shares his concern with Dr. Ziegler who in her turn tells him that Gabriel seems to look paler these days than usual, although she is not exactly sure what the definition of ‘sick-looking’ is in his case. After all, he’s practically dead already.

During one of her visits Ana also admits that something indeed seems to be wrong with Gabriel. She thinks that Amelie’s death has been too heavy a blow for him. Now he still can’t recover after what he did to her.

McCree shows up one day and informs him that after a meeting they held in Venice with a bunch of former Talon members the Commander’s physical condition suddenly worsened and that since they returned to Egypt he hasn’t left the premises of his room.

The news make Jack feel offended and concerned at the same time. The fact that Gabriel seems to have forgotten about him entirely hurts him but the rational part of him tells him that something serious is going on and Gabriel simply doesn’t want to let him in on it just like always. Except, this time, his usual methods doesn’t seem to be working out so instead he has chosen to isolate himself from everyone else.

He doesn’t return Jack’s calls and doesn’t reply to any of his messages. The only way Jack finds to communicate with him somehow and to learn about his current state is through Jesse who soon grows tired of being the ‘errand boy’ for the two of them.

“Please, get your man back on the mend,” he urges Jack. “I’m getting pretty fed up with his antics. He ain’t listening to no one and he won’t even let the doc in.”

“What exactly happened to him after that meeting in Venice?” Jack asks him.

“Well, it’s been happening for a while now, to be honest. But Venice was the last straw. Bad memories I guess. Shouldn’t have come back to that place and I was telling him just that. But you know the man he won’t listen. And after that meeting he uh…kinda lost his human look. You know. He seemed unable to get himself back in check.”

Jack lets out a long sigh and shakes his head slowly.

“I knew that was gonna happen,” he says.

Jesse shrugs, puffing on his cigar.

“If you want my opinion, he ain’t exactly fit to be Talon leader. He won’t admit it of course. But he won’t be getting much done without your help, Commander. So you better get well sooner. We’re having a real issue here. Some of the bad people are still out there who need to be taken care of. And we’re like sitting ducks…”

“I hear you, Jesse. I’m trying my best.”

And so, as soon as he’s barely able to walk again he heads right for Gabriel’s room despite Dr. Ziegler’s strict warnings against practicing any walking exercises. Leaning heavily on the crutches he stops by the locked door and knocks on it gently.

“Gabe? It’s me,” he calls but there’s no response, only complete silence.  Jack is almost mad at Torbjorn who managed to restore electricity in the whole building and now the complex security systems and door locks are back online.

“Come on, man! I’ve barely made all the way here and you’re just gonna make me stand? I’m not even allowed out of bed yet, damn it. Whatever’s going on with you, I’ve seen worse. Please, don’t punish me like that.”

The pity tactics seems to work. With a soft click the door finally slides aside. Jack lets himself in, leaping awkwardly, and, as soon as he’s inside the room, the door closes shut behind him again.

“Well, was it really so hard to just…”

Jack’s voice trails off as he takes a look around the room. Everything here seems to be in disarray as if some unspeakable disaster has happened and hasn’t left anything whole behind. The cabinets and shelves are broken, the bed is a mess of sheets and every corner is piled up with shotguns, grenade shells, belts and various articles of clothes.   

“I’m busy. In the middle of something,” Gabriel announces flatly and Jack watches him glide to the table over the mess on the floor and sit down behind a sewing-machine.

Even without seeing his face Jack can tell that something is indeed off about him. Even on the scale of Gabriel Reyes “The Reaper”. He looks human enough but his form is blurry, constantly exuding fiery smoke. His movements are too light and cautious, every second he seems to be making an effort to keep himself from going loose, to keep himself whole.  

Jack proceeds to make his way further into the room slowly, pausing to bend down and pick a heavy shotgun from the floor.

“What are you making?” he asks, leaping to the table behind which Gabriel is sitting, hunched over the sewing machine. “New armor?”

“Yeah,” Gabriel responds with an uncharacteristic giggle which is swallowed by a noise of the machine starting. Jack walks up to him and touches the rich black-and-gold material Gabriel is working with, marveling at its softness. Garments worthy of a king.  

He tells Gabriel just that, placing the shotgun on the table. Gabriel stops sewing and sighs, directing his attention to it. He reaches out and caresses it lovingly, his claws making a clicking sound against its surface.

“I already miss killing with them, Jack,” he suddenly says. Jack thinks about the monster swallowing people and shivers. All those souls – where are they now? Then he looks into Gabriel’s eyes, so dangerously scarlet.

“Gabe…,” he says. “We’ve got to move on.”

Gabriel shakes his head and proceeds to sew angrily, focused on the piece of clothing so desperately as if his life depended on it. Jack shifts closer, places his hand on his shoulder and squeezes it gently.  Gabriel keeps working, mindless of him, until the machine falters when he makes a stitch in a wrong direction. Gabriel curses under his breath and covers his face with a palm of his hand, breathing shallowly. Jack’s hand moves to his nape and his mouth quiver when he hears Gabriel’s quiet helpless sobbing,

“I can’t move on,” he blurts out. “I killed her, Jack. I killed her.”

“I know,” Jack replies and pulls Gabriel into a tight embrace when he turns towards him. Gabriel presses his cheek against Jack’s stomach and Jack holds him close while the man is shuddering, quivering in tears, finally breaking under the weight of his deeply set sorrow. “You had to.”

“I didn’t. I…I couldn’t…control it,” he sobs. “Lost my mind and...”

“I know, Gabe. It’s in the past now, baby. It’s all over.”

He cards his fingers through Gabriel’s hair, caresses him and lets him have this one moment of weakness, lets him know that it’s okay to show it. He can feel his shirt getting wet with Gabriel’s hot tears. Gabriel gets a firm hold of it and pulls Jack closer, making him fall into his lap. He grits his teeth from a jolt of pain but doesn’t resist.      

“It’s all over,” he says again, wrapping his arms about Gabriel’s trembling form, kissing the top of his head. “And I love you. Do you hear me? I’m here. I love you, baby.”

After a while Gabriel calms down eventually, comforted by Jack’s presence and affection.

“Why won’t you let Angela take a look at you?” Jack asks him, rocking him gently in his arms. “I’m sure she might come up with something.”

“Nah, she wouldn’t want to deal with me anyway. And I don’t want to be a burden,” Gabriel replies. ‘They are all scared of me, even Jesse, I can see it. They still don’t trust me.”    

“But you’re feeling worse, aren’t you? Now it’s not the time for doubts. I’ll talk to them...”

“I’m gonna be fine,” Gabriel cuts him off, sniffling. “I just need some alone time, okay? You’ve got to understand. I think I better get back to the woods, to our place, if you don’t mind. Pretty sure I’ll get better in no time out there.”

“Of course I don’t mind. I’ll cover for you in your absence now that I’m back on my feet again.” Jack assures him. “So don’t you worry about your new organization.”

“Just like the old times, huh?” Gabriel says, nodding. “You covering for my sorry ass, placing yourself out there on the plain view.”

“And plausible deniability?” Jack chuckles.

“Yeah. Plausible deniability. You’re still pretty enough for that too.”

“Shut up.”

They both laugh and Jack sighs with relief, noting that Gabriel seems to get a little better after he let his troubled feelings out. Probably he is right. Their little shelter is the best place to heal and he knows it like no one else. So they agree on this arrangement.

“That’s just how we work, Gabe,” Jack tells him. “You and me together. Always watching each other’s back. And you are an absolute champion of putting yourself out there if you ask me. Now it’s time to take a little break. So don’t you dwell on the past. Go to our place and take a proper rest. Just don’t disappear on me. Stay in touch. ”

“It’s a deal, Jack.”

***

 

On the very same day Gabriel packs his stuff and heads out to their place. But Jack doesn’t get a chance to stay at the wheel of their newly-founded organization for long. Ever since his departure there is no news from Gabriel and soon this absence starts to make Jack go crazy with worry. _I hate this man so much_ , he keeps telling himself each time he goes to sleep at night. He’s been leaving messages but never got any reply. A whole week passes when he finally receives a video call from him which happens somewhere in the middle of the night. Jack wakes up at once and jumps from the bed so fast he nearly trips over it.

“Gabriel?” he barks at the screen before it even lights up. “Is that you?”

Eternal seconds later his partner’s face indeed appears on the screen. The connection leaves much to be desired and Jack thinks that his comm station in the woods needs to be improved once he gets back there.

“It’s me,” Gabriel sighs, resting his head on a blackened hand. Even with such poor connection Jack can see that his form is still unstable, smoky. “How are things out there?”

“Fine! Fine, we’re getting it together. Slowly but steadily. McCree is amazing. You should see this kid. He’s learnt so much, changed so much since the last time we worked with him. Just the other day we managed to track down…”

Jack pauses. Gabriel is nodding in response to his words but he can see that his gaze is absolutely vacant, his eyes dim and lifeless. Dark circles stand out like bruises under his eyes and even by Reaper’s standards – he’s terribly pale.

“You ain’t getting better, are you?” Jack asks instead.

“Yes…it’s not that…I just wanted to call you,” Gabriel says, rubbing his face. His beard has grown out long and is untrimmed. That’s just so not like him.

“Gabriel. Tell me,” Jack demands. “Is it getting worse?”

“Yes,” Gabriel finally admits, looking away. “Might get the better of me this time I’m afraid. Haven’t felt this shitty before.”

“I’m heading out your way this instant. And don’t even try to argue.”

“I’m not,” Gabriel replies quietly.   

“Could’ve called me earlier you selfish bastard,” Jack snaps at him angrily.

“Hey, I wanted…” but Jack turns the screen off without letting Gabriel have a say in this and starts getting ready hurriedly.

His brain is working so fast he can’t tell one thought from another, blunt anger is gnawing at him for no obvious reason. He feels sorry for Gabriel but at the same time he is pissed at the fact that the man’s pride just knows no bounds sometimes. He stuffs his travel bag, hardly registering what he is putting into it in the dark. Then he walks out to the roof of the building, to the area where Talon’s new evac shuttles are stationed. He realizes that he has no idea how to operate those but he is sure he will be able to figure it out along the way. 

After a brief consideration he chooses the smallest shuttle and heads in its direction. He unlocks the cabin and tosses his bag inside. But before he has a chance to climb in he’s blinded by a flashlight directed right into his face.

“Going somewhere?”

Jack shields his face with his arm and can’t see the disturber at first, but he recognizes the voice.

“Fareeha? What are you doing out here?”

“I’m responsible for the ships. You personally appointed me, Jack, don’t you remember?” she says.

“Uh…sure I do. I just… I kinda need to go somewhere, yeah. It’s urgent.”

“So? Leaving us already?”

“I’m sure you lot can handle the place on your own for a few days. Your mother will make sure of it. And it’s not like Talon will be launching attacks any time soon.” 

“I get it, Commander. You are going to see uncle Reyes, aren’t you? Let me give you a ride then at least?”

“I’ll be fine on my own.”

“No, you won’t. You have no idea how this thing even works.”

“Well…”

“It’s a six hours flight, Jack. And how are you going to land it? Right in the woods? If you crash it somewhere across the Atlantic how are we going to cover up for you? I’ve studied these ships and know them pretty well. I’ll drop you off at the usual place and then head back. No one will have to know where you are.”

“That’s not exactly a secret, and they’ll figure it out sooner or later, but… _thank you_.”

“Great. Better use this one instead then,” she tells him, pointing at a larger ship. “So much easier to maneuver, believe me.”

And just as she promised, Fareeha Amari delivers a gloomy Jack Morrison to the usual appointed place.

“Get him back in the ranks soon,” she urges him before leaving. “We need both of you, alive and well. Good luck.”

Jack is sincerely touched by her words and her assistance. He watches the shuttle take off and fly away until it disappears safely beyond the line of horizon.

Gabriel took his truck, so he has to rent a car. On his way Jack remembers to stop by the mall where he stocks up on some antibiotics he himself found helpful on those few occasions he was sick, although he believes that Gabriel’s sickness is completely different and probably is absolutely immune to any ‘human’ medicine. He buys some groceries too, Gabriel’s favorite cake and, without wasting any more time, he drives into the woods, past the now flowerless chamomile field.

Gabriel doesn’t come out to greet him and when Jack walks into the cabin he discovers him lying in bed, cocooned in sheets.

“How are you holding up, Gabe?” he asks quietly, dropping his bag onto the floor. His anger has long dissipated.

Gabriel rolls over to face him and smiles weakly at the sight of him.

“Like I’m dying, over and over again,” he admits with a tired sigh. “Good to see you though.”

“At least now you’re being honest with me,” Jack tells him. “I brought you some medicine.”

“Won’t work.”

“And your favorite chocolate cake.”

“Can’t eat.”

“Just in case then”

“Thanks.”

“Do you need anything?”

“You?” Gabriel responds faintly.

 Jack undresses then and heads for the shower. He gets back in no time, refreshed, and climbs onto the bed to join his partner.

“I’m here,” he says, wrapping his arms around Gabriel’s shivering body. “God, you are burning up!”

“I’m afraid this is _it_ for me, Jack,” Gabriel tells him, sniffling, shifting closer.

“Don’t tell me none of this nonsense,” Jack protests.

“I’m not even sure if I can die,” Gabriel proceeds. “Maybe, my body can…in some way.”

Jack realizes that Gabriel is half-delirious, half-asleep and half-awake.

“You manage to get any sleep?” he asks.

“Don’t know,” is all he gets in reply.

But soon he seems to calm down a little in Jack’s arms, his breathing evens out as he passes out into a quiet sleep. Jack falls asleep too, tired from the long journey and wakes up only late at night when Gabriel leaves his side, feeling sick again. When he gets back he looks like he is falling apart almost literally. His limbs are half-smoke half-liquid and when he places his arm on the bed to support himself it pops under him with an ugly splashing sound and he collapses onto the pillows, staining them in black.

“Hey, baby,” Jack reaches out for him, pulling him back into his embrace. Gabriel doesn’t respond, seems to be unable to talk and the wheezing sound his lungs are producing as he breathes only shows what a struggle it is for him to simply exist at this point.

“It’s okay,” Jack tells him, leaving feathery kisses on his pale cheek and his nape. “It’s okay.”

He doesn’t get any more sleep that night, guarding Gabriel, comforting him as best he can. He walks into the bathroom and brings back wet towels for him, places them on his burning forehead. This is the only thing that seems to be somewhat effective and brings Gabriel back to reality at least for a short period of time. This, and Jack’s embrace which he seeks so desperately. Jack tries to alternate the both. In the morning Gabriel finally reshapes into a fully human form but Jack figures that if he’s not going to start getting better sooner or later, this is going to become a real problem.

“I hate this, Jack,” Gabriel says, rolling on his back, his body trembling visibly. “Why do I have to go through all this? Why me?”

“It’s gonna be fine, Gabe,” Jack says, dabbing his face with a wet towel. “We’ve been through worse. We’ll get through just fine this time. And don’t you talk to me about death.”

“Still talk in your sleep too,” Gabriel observes, licking his dry mouth. “About Reaper. And how can I not talk about death when I am death, Jackie?”

“You are not. You are Gabriel Reyes. And I need you. You hear me? I need you back by my side, soldier.”

Gabriel nods, inclining his head into Jack’s tender caress.

“That’s it, Gabe. I’m calling Dr. Ziegler in the morning.”

“Don’t you do that!”

“But…”

“Don’t, Jack. End of discussion.”

At night he is worse yet again, staying on course between the bed and the bathroom, getting back into Jack’s arms cold as ice and struggling to get whole again.

It is early in the morning, Jack is sitting by his side, stubbed chin propped up on one hand, white hair disheveled and face as pale as Gabriel’s, when there’s a sudden knock on the door. It comes so loud he thinks his head is going to burst from the noise. He hisses and rubs his eyes impatiently. Gabriel moans weakly in bed. The knock repeats once again and Jack snaps back to reality – realizing that he nodded off somehow after the first one.

“Coming!” he blurts out and gets up to his feet.

Swaying a little he makes his way towards the now persistent knocking sound, pulling on his robe on the way. When he opens the door he is surprised to see Angela standing on the porch, dressed casually, a heavy travel bag thrown over her shoulder, a medical kit clasped to her belt.

“Hello, Jack,” she says.

“Dr. Ziegler?” he marvels. “How did you find me here?”

“You look awful,” she observes instead. “May I come in?”

“Sure,” he hastens to move aside and let her pass.

“Where’s he?” she asks, never caring for formalities.

“In bed,” Jack tells her. “He’s getting worse. I don’t know what to do at this point.”

Angela stops in the middle of the room, watching Gabriel who doesn’t even stir at her appearance, his back still turned on the door.

“I see,” she says and then walks up to the table. She puts her medical kit onto it carefully. She rummages through it and produces a thick pile of papers – the draft of Gabriel’s cure and his medical history.

“I’m determined to try this, Jack” she says. “Otherwise we might lose him.”

“You are the only person I could trust with this,” he tells her.

She nods, rubbing her forehead.

“What do you need?” Jack asks. “Something to eat maybe? It’s been a long way here.”

“I’m fine, thank you. A cup of coffee would’ve been nice though, if you have any.”

Jack brings her coffee and then, before he has a chance to say anything else, she quite literally hustles him out of the cabin, telling him that she needs to be alone with Reyes for this and that Jack will only get in the way.

He dresses up and walks out onto the porch, breathes in the frosty winter air and glances around at the woods tinged with the golden morning light. For the first time in many days ever since the Venice massacre his mind seems to be clearing up a little. He spots the broken boards on the floor of the porch, a reminder of his ill-fated ‘encounter’ with Gabriel. Jack dwells on that day, on the life they had together.

He knows that he absolutely cannot lose Gabriel – the one true love of his life, his true friend and loyal partner, his inspiration and his teacher. He can’t imagine his life without him. Even when they accidentally parted their ways – knowing that Gabriel was out there somewhere, knowing that he was alive even though on the enemy side –  was giving Jack some meaning in life. He can’t see himself without him because everything that he is now – he owns to him.

With his trembling hands he fishes a pack of Ana’s cigarettes from a pocket of his jacket – he doesn’t remember how he got hold of those. Doesn’t matter now. If Gabriel is going to disappear, he might as well hurry up and disappear too. So he lights a cigarette and places it between his lips, puffing on it greedily. A lonely bird is crying somewhere in the distance, by the pond, and he listens to that cry, feeling his heart throb at the loneliness he thinks he can understand in it.

The sun peers out cheerfully above tree tops when Angela emerges from the cabin and her face is paler than the snow that covers the ground. Jack realizes that he is not prepared to hear bad news at all. He shakes his head, breathing out noisily.

But she walks up to him and places a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“I’m at a loss here, Jack,” she says, her voice trembling a little. “Usually I’m not the one who enjoys implementing curse words, but this is some _bullshit._ ”

Jack backs away a little, his brows rising in surprise despite the gravity of situation.

“What is it?” he asks.

“Well, I don’t need his medical history for that I suppose,” she shrugs. “He’s pregnant.”

Jack’s cigarette falls from his mouth and lands on his boot. He doesn’t notice. His mouth hangs open.

“What?!” he asks, scaring himself with how hysterical his voice sounds.

Angela nods and makes a helpless gesture with her hands.

“Are you joking, doc? Because I’m not in the mood for…”

“I am _not_ joking. And I am just as shocked as you are, believe me.”

“But how is that even possible??” Jack wonders, carding his fingers through his hair, his blue eyes wide open.

“I guess with Reyes - anything can be possible. His health is a very complicated issue.”

“Does he know about…this?” Jack asks her, pointing at the door.

“Yes. I told him of course. He’s acting very quiet but he seems to have gotten better as soon as we discovered the reason for his… sudden sickness. He’ll be okay in no time, once his system finishes adjusting to the new state.”

“But how…what…what do we do now?” Jack asks her desperately.

“Follow me, please,” she tells him and while he does he feels strange, a whole mix of contradicting emotions fight within him – he feels relieved, because there’s no threat to Gabriel’s life. Shocked and scared because never in his life did he expect to find himself in such a situation. And, deep in his heart – he feels… _joy_.

Gabriel is sitting in bed with his arms around his knees and Jack’s heart swells in a somehow different way at the sight of him. He seems scared though, completely at a loss. His gaze is finally clear and his fever seems to have subsided.     

“The term is three months,” Angela announces almost casually and Jack still can’t believe they are having a serious discussion here. “Still early to know if it’s a boy or a girl. And if you plan to get rid of it – the sooner the better.”

“Of course we do,” Gabriel says. Jack’s heart sinks a little but he understands that such a decision is only rational. “It’s…wrong. To begin with.”

“Yes,” Jack agrees.

“I see,” Angela nods, placing her hands on her hips. “I have a clinic here, about 60 miles from this place. Have some matters to take care of so I’ll be there. Say, I’ll give you a couple of days to think this over. Now you are certain but this is not a decision that you should be making without weighting the situation properly.”

“What do _you_ think about it?” Jack asks her.

“I’m not going to influence you in any way”

“As a friend,” Jack says.

She says nothing but she looks him in the eye and smiles tenderly.

‘What if we keep it?” Gabriel asks her cautiously.

“If you keep it, you better get back to the headquarters in Egypt. We all are working hard to bring the place back to life and renovate it. There’s a laboratory there now, a safe place I organized together with my colleagues who are best specialists in the field of medicine. Who we can trust. You will be safe there and I’ll make sure that no one except for me will be working with you. We will need to monitor you daily of course. And…we can’t let the birth happen naturally because it’s just…not possible and might be lethal for you. So when the term will be coming to an end we will have to operate as soon as possible.”

“So you will agree to take up Gabriel’s case?” Jack asks.

“In such a circumstance, I most certainly will. You are my family after all. Both of you. I’ll support any of your decisions on the case.”

 

***

 

Jack sees Angela to her car, his mind wandering elsewhere. She gives him basic instructions on what medicine can actually be helpful to Gabriel right now and what to do in case of any urgent situation. He nods in response, trying his best to somehow remember everything she says. Angela makes him promise her that they will come to her clinic for a checkup once Gabriel gets better and let her know about their final decision. As soon as she drives away Jack walks back to the cabin.

Gabriel is watching him closely when he enters the room, still in the same position on the bed where they left him. His eyes are fixed on Jack, following his every move, his gaze intent, searching. Searching for answers Jack is not sure he can provide. He’s confused too.

“How are you feeling?” he asks quietly.

“I guess I’ll live,” Gabriel replies with an uncertain shrug. His eyes are still dim, but there’s also a new serene glow in them now that he knows what is going on with him.

“So it is decided?” Jack asks, hoping in his turn that Gabriel can give some kind of an answer to the situation.

“It is decided,” Gabriel nods.  “We can’t have it. It’s out of question.”

Jack looks down and clears his throat. He feels like he has to say something, but words are evading him, he doesn’t know how to shape the meaning of what he’s feeling into them.

“You are right,” he says instead.

“Good. I’m gonna take a nap now if you don’t mind. Tired as hell.”

With this Gabriel sinks back against the pillows and pulls the blanket over his body a bit too aggressively. He turns his back on Jack and curls up, his breathing is coming out shallow, shaky for a while, until it evens out and he finally falls asleep. 

Jack is not sure if he could comfort him somehow, and he isn’t sure that Gabriel actually needs his comforting right now. He’s just as lost, just as nervous and uncertain. He heads into the kitchen and makes himself a cup of coffee. He then walks back into the room where Gabriel is sleeping and sits down into the shaky armchair, pondering as he drinks the tasteless liquid.

This new discovery threw him completely out of balance; it was a blow he could never expect. But was it a blow? His thoughts trail off, leaving space for one certainty - Gabriel. Pregnant with his child. This is not _right_ …but if that’s not right then why is his heart swelling with joy at the mere thought of it? Was it not something he dared only dream about during all the lonely days and nights? He might be thrown aback by such a drastic turn of events but he can’t deny that it’s something he really wants.

He leaves the unfinished cup of coffee on the bedside table and climbs into the bed to join Gabriel. Gently, he embraces him from behind and leaves a feathery kiss on his nape. Before he falls asleep he can feel him shift closer, letting Jack spoon him completely. When Jack wakes up few hours later Gabriel is still by his side, facing him, watching him in his sleep. He looks rested now; his eyes are clear and radiant.

“Hey,” he says as soon as Jack opens his eyes.

“Hey,” Jack replies, reaching out to palm Gabriel’s cheek, to trace the line of his brow with his thumb. He guesses it’s highly likely that he loves those features more than anything else in this world.

“Looking better,” he ascertains with a smile.

Gabriel mirrors his smile, nods and shifts a little closer. He leans to Jack and plants a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth.

“Jackie,” he says. ”Listen. What if…maybe…what if it were _not_ decided yet? Would it be too much for you?”

“What?”

“Just say the word and I’m not even gonna broach the subject again until we deal with it once and for all…”

“You were saying you don’t want this just because you think it might be too much for _me_???”

“No! Of course not. I’m…I don’t know _what_ to say, to begin with. What the fuck should I do under such circumstance?”

“Gabe”

“Yes?”

“Just tell me what you think about this child?”

Gabriel’s voice is almost a whisper now,

“I’m not sure I want to get rid of it”

Jack’s heart races in his chest. He places his palm over Gabriel’s chest, feeling his own erratic heartbeat. Then he trails his hand lower, pausing shyly over Gabriel’s belly. He looks down. There’s nothing there yet but he know that from this moment on everything will change, everything will be different. He caresses Gabriel’s belly and his lover’s body shivers sweetly under his touch.

“What if it’s a gift of fate?” Jack says in reply. “After everything we’ve been through. Isn’t it something we both wanted? Isn’t it a chance for us?”

“So you aren’t…disgusted by this?”

“Disgusted?? No! How can you think I’m disgusted?? Why would I be?”

“It’s not exactly how things are supposed to happen…”

“I don’t think that those ‘things’ you are talking about even apply to us much. I might be a bit scared, cause I have no idea how to …handle this. But I would love to learn with you, and I would love to have this child…with you. I really would love to.”

Gabriel’s hand covers his own then, squeezes it and when Jack looks up he sees all the answers he needs in the pools of those hazel eyes. Jack’s heart is throbbing in his chest; every inch of his body is tingling with warmth.

“I’m not sure if I ever mentioned this before or only dreamt it but…your eyes are very beautiful,” Jack says, smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued


	7. Higher Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel shifts to his side of the bed at last and Jack settles beside him, spooning him from behind. At some point they stop giggling like children and calm down, their breathing evens out. Jack places his chin on Gabriel’s shoulder and listens to the quiet, caressing Gabriel’s arm. 
> 
> “Let’s take one more day before heading out to Egypt?” he suggests hopefully. He realizes that he doesn’t want to leave the place. That all he wants is to stay here with Gabriel, to start a real family with him and to stay away from any matters of the world. “One more day won’t change anything.”
> 
>  
> 
> _Gabriel and Jack are making first shy attempts at settling down together but the ghosts of the past are still out there, haunting them_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 7 in which I discover that I could probably write endlessly about their everyday life together

 

 **vii.** **Higher Things**

 

The morning is fresh and frosty and the sun has barely showed up from its lair of dreams. Jack is chopping wood outside the cabin; his hoodie is wrapped carelessly around his waist. Despite winter cold he feels hot, despite his age and the beard he has grown out during the last few days, he looks younger. He works fast, barely getting tired at all despite the fact that he has been at it for about an hour already and started his chore long before sunrise. The taut muscles on his arms flex and relax without cease like timeless mechanisms. He wants to stock up on as much firewood as possible so that he and Gabriel could stay warm without ever thinking much about it.

He pauses only when he hears a familiar cry of a mysterious bird by the pond. Jack leans on the chopper, wipes sweat from his forehead with the back of his gloved hand and listens to the sound, relishing it.

“Why have you stopped?”

Jack turns around and spots Gabriel on the porch where he stands leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded over his chest. It is the first time Jack sees him out and he smiles at the sight. Gabriel still looks pale and he’s still weak but strength is returning to him faster with every passing day. 

“You up already?” he asks.

“Been enjoying the view for a while actually,” Gabriel replies not without a hint of pride in his voice. He nods in the direction of a huge stack of firewood Jack has already managed to prepare. “I think all that wood will be enough for us already to last a whole winter here.”

“The more the better,” Jack says. “Although I ain’t gonna deny I might’ve gotten a bit carried away. Have you eaten anything?”

“I have. There’s still a lot left. I guess you got a bit carried away with that too.”

Jack scratches the back of his head and looks down, a content smile still tugging at the corners of his lips.

“The cake is delicious by the way,” Gabriel carries on as he starts making his way towards Jack. “I left some for you. I know you like it too.”

“You can have it all, I got it to make _you_ feel better,” Jack says. Presently, Gabriel closes the distance between them and presses close to him, snaking one arm around his waist and nuzzling his cheek.

“How are you feeling?” Jack asks him quietly, inclining his head towards the pleasurable contact. Gabriel’s skin feels so good, so cool against his own. 

“Better,” a short reply follows.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Jack kisses Gabriel’s neck and Gabriel laughs suddenly, recoiling a little from him.

“I hate your beard, man,” he utters jokingly.

“Now you know how I feel most of the time,” Jack retorts.    

“Maybe I should shave mine off then,”

“Don’t. I still remember how damn ridiculous you look without it.”

Gabriel feigns resentment, landing his fist against Jack’s chest, and they both are laughing. Jack thinks that no matter what might follow in their strange and dangerous lives; moments like this one are what really matters the most. He feels lightheaded with happiness.

“I’m sorry for everything, Gabe,” he says, suddenly serious. “I feel like I ain’t saying it enough to you. But I’m sorry I have left you all alone. I should’ve never abandoned your side. If only I…”

“We’ve been through this already, Jack,” Gabriel’s ruby eyes focus on his own and Jack feels like he might drown in them. He can see the spark in them soften as they turn gentle hazel. Gabriel puts his hand on his nape and brings him closer to plant a feathery kiss on his mouth. “It needed to happen and we both know that in the end it was our only option against Talon. It doesn’t change anything. You did what you had to. Even though I didn’t know it. Even though I blamed you and hated you after. That was the price we had to pay. And honestly I…never knew that I will get a chance to build something…anew after my mission is accomplished. That I will get a chance to be back with our team. With you again and even… _this_.”

“I know. I feel just the same, believe me,” Jack says.

They linger in each other’s arms; their foreheads pressed together, their figures outlined perfectly against the rising sun. Despite its brightness, the day is chilly and Jack is suddenly aware of it and of the fact that Gabriel has only a thin tee-shirt on. He unwraps the hoodie from his waist, brushes wood dust off it and hands it to him.

“Come on, Jack. I’m not a fucking princess,” the man protests.

“Stop whining and put it on. It’s winter outside dammit and we ain’t in Hawaii.”

“Well good. Cause in that case you’d probably be wearing that atrocious Hawaiian shirt of yours.”

“Whatever you say, smartass,” Jack retorts, watching with satisfaction as Gabriel gets into his hoodie. He helps him pull his long hair from under it, his eyes lingering on the way sunlight is caught in the reddened tips. He then pulls the hood up over his head and yanks at the laces under it until it squeezes around Gabriel’s face.

“Asshole,” Gabriel chuckles, pushing him away. Jack laughs and they proceed to fight on a lark until Jack says, a little out of breath,

“You’re so damn active today.”

“Bored out of my fucking mind. And I hate the sight of that bed already.”

“How about tomorrow we take a walk to the pond and go fishing then?” Jack suggests.

Gabriel’s eyes widen with wonder.

“Fishing?” he asks.

“Yeah, fishing. You know that thing when you cast the line and catch some fish from the water.”

“Oh please, I know what fishing is. I just…haven’t done this in a while.”

“Well me neither. Let’s give it a try?”

Gabriel gives it a second’s consideration.

“Okay,” he agrees.

 

 

***

 

 

On the following day it is Gabriel who wakes Jack up in the early hours of dawn. He shakes him by the shoulder impatiently, eager to start a new day where he won’t have to stay in bed anymore. Eager to make final steps towards his full recovery.

“Come on, sleepyhead,” he coaxes gently into Jack’s ear. “Wake up, my sunshine! Wake up or you gonna miss all the fun.”

“Unnf,” Jack manages in reply, rolling his shoulder lazily in an attempt to brush Gabriel off. Unlike his partner he feels none of the eagerness or desire to start moving anytime soon. “Maybe tomorrow?”

“You _promised_ me,” there’s hurt in Gabriel’s voice and, although it’s feigned, Jack makes an effort to roll on his back and pry one eye open.

“I know, I know,” he slurs. “Wish I could just lie in bed with you all day long and think of nothing. I figure I might actually use some retirement time.”

“Stop with your old-man droning and get your ass on the move.”

Gabriel leaves his bedside and heads into the kitchen. Jack can hear him start a stove and switch the kettle on while humming something to himself. Jack’s thoughts trail off to that soothing sound and he slips back into the world of dreams, mindless of it until the bed squeaks again under Gabriel’s weight and his warm body presses flat against his own. Jack is brought back to reality at once then, fully awake to the sweet sensation of being caressed all over. He opens his eyes wide to meet Gabriel’s ruby gaze before getting kissed on the lips. Jack places his hand on the back of Gabriel’s head and brigs him closer still, deepening the kiss. Gabriel moans into it, relishes it but then gently pulls away, licking his lips in a deliberate way.

“Now he’s finally awake,” he states, smiling self-contentedly. “I made you breakfast. There’s no going back now, boyscout. Rise and shine.”

Jack reaches out in hopes for another kiss but Gabriel wouldn’t let him. He caresses Jack’s cheek one last time and gets out of bed. Seeing him so alive again fills Jack’s heart with joy. He can’t help but admit to himself that after the news Angela brought them the way he feels about him changed, the love he feels towards him deepened somehow. Or maybe it has always been that way but only now has he truly realized the depth of it.

Together they have breakfast and start getting ready for their fishing trip just like it was planned. Armed with flashlights, the two of them have to get down into the dusty basement where Jack recovers two fishing rods and some lures.

“It’s been ages since the last time I did this,” he says, handing the rods to Gabriel. “Have only some hard baits left I’m afraid.”

“I haven’t done this since SEP either. But I don’t think we gonna catch _anything_ with these,” Gabriel comments, examining the rods suspiciously. “They look like they’ve been through some nuclear war. And given how cold it is outside…”

“Well, I ain’t got anything better to offer. We could give these a try. Maybe we’ll get lucky. My grandfather used to hook fish with a single stick and a line. Compared to that we’re perfectly equipped, you know.”

“Fine, fine. I've no problem with that. Life in Talon got me a little spoiled I guess.”

“Are you trying to tell me you’re missing it?” Jack asks him, staring Gabriel down over his shoulder as they are climbing their way back from the basement on the shaky ladder – Jack carrying the rods and Gabriel – the baits.

“Of course not. I’m just saying I got used to the luxury of it that’s all.”

Jack offers him a hand at the end of the ladder as soon as he gets out.

“Never told me about your grandfather before,” Gabriel says, accepting it.

Jack shrugs his shoulders, gets to his knees and proceeds to latch the basement door.

“Spent a lot of time with him when I was little,” he explains matter-of-factly. “My parents used to be away often. He was kinda…my best friend. He was military too. Strict and roughened by war. But he was always soft-hearted and kind when it came to me. And he was one of the reasons I decided to join the army later, after he passed. ”

“I see,” Gabriel says thoughtfully. “I never knew _my_ grandfather.”

“I’ll tell you more about mine if you want. He was a big part of my life.”

“I’m sure he would’ve been proud of you if he knew you made it to the Strike Commander in Overwatch.”

Jack straightens up, sighs heavily in reply and chuckles bitterly, his blue eyes filling up with sadness.

“You know, Gabe, I’m glad he didn’t live to see it all crumbling down,” he says. “Besides, he would’ve hated your guts, _mi amor_.”    

To this Gabriel says nothing, only hems and huffs, the expression on his face darkens.

Jack smiles crookedly at him and pecks him on the cheek.

“We’re gonna teach our baby how to fish properly though,” he assures him and Gabriel’s face brightens up at once like the skies after a swiftly passing thundercloud.

“Yeah,” he confirms, mirroring Jack’s smile. “We’ll make sure of that.”  

 They put on the warmest clothes they could find in Jack’s scarce wardrobe. Gabriel doesn’t complain about their ridiculous look this time. Partly, because he loves wearing Jack’s clothes and discover how perfectly they fit him and partly because he might be getting used to these life conditions where he longer has to pretend, to wear a mask and play the role of the Reaper. Slowly, he’s getting used to being Gabriel Reyes again while at the same time embracing new circumstances life has yet to offer to him. He discovers that he’s willing to, that, for the first time in many years he feels content and free, and truly alive - with Jack finally back by his side.

The pond is located less than half a mile away from Jack’s cabin and their walk towards it is short and pleasant. Dry leaves are rustling softly under their feet as they are shuffling their way among the graceful bare trees reaching up towards the golden sky. The snow covers the ground in thin carpets here and there, shimmering in the bright sunlight. Winter birds are singing from the tree tops, greeting the start of a new day and herds of deer can be seen ahead, exploring the area in search of edible roots. Sun-twinkles are dancing on their fur.  The pond hasn’t frozen up yet and Jack explains that it does only when real cold starts which doesn’t happen often in this place.

Gabriel inhales deeply when they stop on the bank, his gaze directed towards the farthest end of the pond as he takes in the picturesque landscape bathed in glorious sunlight.

“You know, I think I could get used to this kind of retirement too,” he asserts somewhat dreamily. Jack looks at him and smiles, drawn by the way the sun plays on his scarred skin, his cheeks a bit rosy from tender frost bites. 

“What are you staring at?” Gabriel says, catching his look and squinting at him against the sunlight.

“Can’t a man stare a little? Give me a break,” Jack replies jokingly. “Still can’t get used to you being back in my life.”

Gabriel chuckles softly, lowering his eyes.

“Me neither,” he replies quietly.

They walk a little further along the bank until they find what looks like the most suitable spot where they can stop. A camping blanket is unfolded then and spread over a huge log close to the water surface. Jack and Gabriel prepare the rods in silence, each of them cherishing these moments when it feels like they have all the time in the world just for the two of them. Once the baits are cast they settle on the log and Jack places a portable heater between them.

“Even with that thing on I don’t think we’re gonna last long in this cold,” he observes, rubbing his hands together.

“Oh, come on, we’ve been through worse, soldier,” Gabriel tells him, shifting closer. “You cold already?”

“No, I’m just…worried about you,” Jack says, his breath steaming against the frosty air. “Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea.”

“It _was_ , Jack. It really was.”

Gabriel’s arm sneaks around him, rubs his shoulder and he pulls Jack closer until they are pressed securely against each other. The heater starts working at its full soon and they indeed get warm in no time.

Their catch is scarce so far; fish takes baits lazily and bites timidly. Mostly those are small perch, hardly anything significant. Although it would’ve hardly mattered for the two of them if they weren’t catching anything at all. They are too preoccupied with each other.  

Suddenly the peaceful silence is disturbed by that familiar bird cry somewhere nearby. Jack turns his head and spots a pair of cranes walking out from the forest grandly and heading towards the pond.

“Now I know who you are,” Jack says.

“What?” Gabriel asks him.

“That bird cry you can sometimes hear from the cabin… you ever heard it?”

“I might have,” Gabriel replies. “Why?”

“It’s that guy,” Jack says, pointing at the cranes walking gracefully towards the line of water. “Always made me think about how he’s all alone out here. Turns out I was wrong, he ain’t all that alone anymore.”

Gabriel huffs out a laugh.

“Never took you for a bird watcher,” he says. “Things you learn…”

They both watch a pair of cranes settle by the pond just few feet away from them. The birds watch Jack and Gabriel for a while with what looks like curiosity too. Then they throw their heads back and start crying together.

“The fuckers’ so loud,” Gabriel exclaims and Jack chuckles, covering his face with his hand. “They just want our fish.”

The cranes start crying even louder.

“How could you ever find this romantic, Jack?”  

“I swear it sounded better when he was alone”

“He?”

“Well, I guess it’s a he and a she?”

“Look the same to me.”

The cranes quiet down at last, probably having made sure that the two men are no threat to them.

“Now you better watch out for that fish we caught,” Gabriel whispers to him in perfect silence.

“I will,” Jack chuckles back.

But the cranes don’t seem to be interested in anything but each other, preening one another’s feathers and cooing quietly, intelligent eyes still fixed on the two suspicious humans occupying their territory.

“Did _you_ feel lonely all alone here, Jack?” Gabriel suddenly asks.

Jack clears his throat, takes his time before replying.

“I guess I did, yeah. Mostly I would get out here to get drunk and forget about the rest of the world. It even worked sometimes if I was lucky.”

Gabriel is silent to that, eyes cast down.

“I’m sorry…,” he starts saying at last but Jack cuts him off.

“Don’t be,” he says impatiently, looking ahead. “What’s done is done.”

Gabriel shifts closer, leans to him and kisses his forehead. Jack half-turns into the offered embrace, nuzzles Gabriel’s cheek and sneaks one hand under his warm coat, rubbing it against his stomach. He can feel Gabriel’s breathing, warm and steady, Gabriel’s presence so reassuring and fulfilling.

“Talk to me, Jackie. If you have anything on your heart, now is the perfect time to give voice to it.”

Jack sighs, stealing a brief kiss from Gabriel’s lips.

“Something’s been bugging me. Back in Venice before that mission…you told me I was being naïve. You told me that I have always been so. Do you really think this way about me, Gabe?”

“It wasn’t really me talking, Jack, and you know it,” Gabriel replies after a pause. “Back then I was crazy with the idea of revenge. I was blinded by it. And when Reaper takes over you… you just can’t control him. I don’t think you’re naïve, of course I don’t. To be honest, I didn’t think I was gonna make it through that mission.”

“You wanted to die even though we were back together again?”

Gabriel sighs, furrows his brows.

“No. But I was prepared to. You have to understand. The question of death is slightly different from my perspective. I can’t _die_. And I’ve been living with that truth for _years_ , Jack. I only wanted to see how far I can go with Reaper and I absolutely had to because it was our only chance. I was hoping that, maybe, if I die…in a way…Reaper would leave me too.”

Gabriel takes off one glove to reveal his blackened clawed hand. He clutches his fingers into a fist and black smoke evaporates from his skin.   

“Thought maybe I won’t need a cure after that. But I was mistaken. I don’t think I will ever be able to get rid of him. He fucked me up.”

“But then _you_ were there,” Gabriel goes on. “You are always there, no matter how hard I try to distance myself from you. And I realized that I’d put your life at risk with my selfishness. You, on the other hand, have always been so selfless, Jackie. And back there, in Akande’s office, they cornered me and my plan would never have worked. If not for you. I realized I was going to lose you and I no longer cared about my own goals, Reaper and Talon. They didn’t matter. It was all about you. I turned into that thing. To protect you. I became one with Reaper. But my mind was lucid; I was fully in control of that monster. And its only purpose was saving your life at any cost. I know I scared you back there. But you helped me discover that Reaper can work for the good too. Why are you so quiet, baby?”

Jack sniffles, places his cheek on Gabriel’s shoulder to conceal his face.    

“Always making me so damn sentimental,” he whines.

“Because that’s how you are,” Gabriel teases delicately. He places his forefinger under Jack’s chin and lifts his face up to take a look at his shiny blue eyes filled with tears. Jack bites his lower lip.

“Do you still feel as lonely, Jackie?” Gabriel asks.

Jack shakes his head, embraces Gabriel, his hand caressing him under the coat.

“We have a future now, Gabe,” he says. “We both need to learn to accept it.”

“We will.”

“And you’re right. Reaper works for the good too.”

“Yeah,” Gabriel chuckles. “The irony of it though.”

Jack kisses him as the sun rises high above them and the pair of cranes indulges in their love dance. Gabriel cups Jack’s face and brings him closer, finding a better angle to kiss him deeper, with all the passion he feels for him. Jack is breathless when they pull apart, laughing when Gabriel keeps trailing persistent kisses along his cheek and the line of his jaw.

“You’re my treasure, _mi amor_ ,” he says, exploring the soft skin of his neck before turning back to his lips and kissing them so hard Jack thinks he’s going to bleed.

“God you’ve always been such an aggressive kisser,” Jack manages to blurt out.

“You don’t like it?” Gabriel inquires, short of breath.

“I love it,” Jack responds. “Don’t you know I love it?”

Jack’s hand slips lower, from Gabriel’s stomach into his jeans and under the band of his underwear, seeking his hardness.

“I want you,” he breathes out urgently.

Suddenly their attention is caught by the noise of a rod cracking. They both turn in the direction of the pond.

“Damn it, it bites!!” Jack yells. They get up and hurry towards the one remaining rod that is bending at a dangerous angle as well.

“What the fuck?!” Gabriel exclaims as Jack gets a firm hold of the rod. “Did we catch a local Loch Ness or something?”    

“We gotta reel it in!!Help me!” Jack shouts in his best commanding voice and Gabriel executes command instinctively, joining him at once.

“Hold the rod and reel it slowly! Watch the angle!”

“Okay, _commander_ …, I got it,” Gabriel accepts the rod and does as he is told, watching Jack’s excitement with sheer amusement. “What are you gonna do…?” 

Presently, Jack heads straight into the water.

“I’m gonna…”

“Hey! You’ll freeze your ass off!” Gabriel shouts and in the following seconds the rod he is holding breaks with a loud popping sound, scaring off the cranes.

Something huge jumps out from the water about ten feet away from them, swirling and coiling in the air, a piece of line still stuck in its mouth. Jack falls back; slips and collapses into the water while Gabriel is just standing there with his mouth hang open.  The thing plops back into the pond, sending huge waves across its clear surface as it disappears into the deep it has emerged from.

“What the fuck was that?!” Gabriel utters.

“I don’t know,” Jack replies quietly. “But now I’m kinda glad we didn’t get it…”

Jack tries to scramble out from the water but the silty ground makes him slip and fall again and again until Gabriel comes to his senses and hurries towards him to help him get back up.

“What were you thinking, you idiot?” he scolds Jack, leading him back onto the bank while the man is leaning heavily onto his shoulder, shaking all over. 

“I wasn’t,” Jack admits, his teeth chattering mercilessly. “That thing…it…broke both the rods, ain’t it?”

“It did! Fuck it, Jack! Takes a professional to get something like that. Not two amateurs with rusty equipment and a nasty case of nervous breakdowns.”

“Ohh, shut up, p-please.”

“Now we’ve got nothing and you’re gonna catch some nasty cold if you don’t take your clothes off right now.”

“I know, man, I know. Will you help me? Can’t feel my damn hands”

“Of course I will. Let’s get you to that heater first.”

 

***

 

 

They make it back to the cabin when it’s already getting dark. They are dirty, tired and hungry, with both their fishing rods irreparably broken and partly lost somewhere at the bottom of the pond, in the mouth of a mysterious monster that dwells in it. But despite all the unfortunate happenstances both of them are in high spirits.

“It was one hell of a fishing trip. But I think I’ve had enough of adventures for today,” Gabriel says, yawning sleepily while they are undressing.

They take turns taking shower and Jack nearly falls asleep while waiting on Gabriel and getting the fire going in the hearth. The heater surely helped but it’s only now that he’s taken the chill off completely and the drowsiness is almost impossible to fight.

“I’m getting too old for this shit,” he announces when Gabriel emerges from the shower at last.

“I don’t know what you were thinking out there but that’s exactly what you get when you go for a swim in the middle of a fucking winter,” Gabriel tells him. 

Jack stares at the fire dancing in the hearth, blinking slowly, completely transfixed by it while Gabriel walks away into the kitchen. Jack blinks one more time and he’s back by his side already, holding a mug with whiskey for him.

“Here. Drink it up,” Gabriel says.

“Thanks,” Jack accepts the mug and quaffs it in one gulp. The hot liquid warms his insides and brings him back to life a little.   

“Now you go take a shower and I’ll fix something for us to eat, okay?” Gabriel suggests.

Jack is suddenly aware of how sweetly he smells after shower. He raises his eyes to look at him and takes in the sight of his wet dark hair and newly trimmed beard, of that cocky smirk of his. He smiles at the perspectives the night might yet have to offer.

“Okay,” he says pointedly.

He steps into the shower and puts his head under the spray, letting hot water stream down his face. He closes his eyes from the blissful sensation…which lasts but for a second. Then suddenly the stream is cut off, the shower head makes a pitiful coughing noise in its last attempt to provide water and goes silent.

“Damn it!” Jack barks out landing his fist against the tiled wall and making it crack.

“You alright there?” he hears Gabriel call from the room.

“I’m alright. But our water system is not, I’m afraid.”

Few moments later they are both standing in the shower stall, thinking about what might have caused it.

“ _Dios_ … we’re fucked now, aren’t we?” Gabriel says.

“We are. It’s no wonder really. I haven’t looked into it for years. The timing though…just when I needed it the most!”

“Well…uhm. Let’s take a look at it tomorrow. For now we can get water from the pond, boil it and use just the same.”

“I guess it’s our only option,” Jack estimates and before he has a chance to say more on the matter Gabriel takes his coat from the nail in the wall, grabs a bucket and heads for the door.

“Where are you going?” Jack asks, making a helpless gesture.

“To get some water for you obviously,” Gabriel exclaims, shrugging.

“I’ll go, you stay here,” Jack tells him.

“What? Why? The pond’s almost at our door, Jack! You think I can’t accomplish a task that easy?” 

“I’m not…,” Jack falters, stammering a little as he goes on. “I ain’t gonna let you carry that bucket all the way here. It’s damn huge.”

Gabriel raises his eyebrows.

“Are you serious?” he asks, his voice nearly incredulous. “This bucket’s lighter than my shotgun, man!”

“Yeah, but once it’s full of water it’s not,” with this Jack walks up to him and snatches the bucket from his hand.

“Jack..,” Gabriel starts saying.

“Let’s start taking things seriously here, okay, Gabe?” Jack elaborates sternly. “You’ve had your time bragging how tough you are, and I know that you are. But you were in bed just two days ago, nearly dying. And we both know that the condition is…delicate. Now, please, for once, let me be the tough one and take care of this.”

 Gabriel hums in disapproval and pulls his beanie on angrily.

“Fine,” he complies at last. “But I’m going with you. Not letting you wander out there all alone. That thing in the pond snacked on our rods. Who knows maybe it snacks on human flesh too.”

Jack rolls his eyes and huffs.

“Fine,” he says.

“And I’m taking my shotguns with me,” Gabriel states, pointing at Jack in a manner that brooks no argument.

 Jack shakes his head, looking at his partner with amusement and wonder.

“You just never change, don’t you?” he asks. “Alright, tough guy, bring it on.”

Fortunately for Jack, they get to the pond and back without any further complications. Although Gabriel might be a little disappointed that he didn’t get a chance to put his shotguns to good use and to enact revenge upon the pond monster.

They have late dinner in peace while the water is boiling on the stove and after that Jack takes the bucket and heads to the bathroom solemnly, hoping to get at least some resemblance of a shower before finally heading to bed.

“Need a hand with that?” Gabriel inquires quietly.

When Jack looks at him crimson fires are burning in his eyes to match the ones in the hearth and Jack knows exactly what he means.

“No,” he says somewhat too sternly. “Gonna be fine on my own.”

Gabriel smirks at that, nods and turns away haughtily.

“I’m sorry, Gabe,” Jack calls, softer this time. “I’m just…not sure that right now we’re gonna get any…washing done here together.”

He smiles at Gabriel coyly when he looks in his direction again.

“I’ll be back shortly,” Jack assures him. “You wait for me.”

“Alright,” Gabriel’s smirk is still present but it’s different now, the fires spark back in his eyes.

Those eyes and that smirk are all Jack can think about while struggling with the damned bucket of hot water. He’s tired, a bit tipsy and achingly hard.

“Damn you, Gabriel, damn you,” he whispers, fighting the ever increasing urge to touch himself.   

Somehow, despite all the inconveniences he walks out of the shower finally warmed up after his swimming experience earlier that day. Warmed up with hot water and fire in the hearth - on the outside. On the inside - with whiskey, and dinner, and the thought of fucking Gabriel. 

The room is dark, the lights are out and the hearth is closed – its cozy crackling is the only sound disturbing the perfect silence. This, and the sound of Gabriel’s shallow breathing. Jack knows it’s not his sickness talking again as soon as he sees him in the dark: the blanket tossed aside, his knees spread apart and his toes curling as he touches himself. His eyes are on fire when he sees Jack and Jack is sure that so is his body, arched sinuously over the sheets, shivering with pleasure.

“Don’t stop on my account,” is all Jack manages to say, walking closer.

Gabriel doesn’t.

“What took you so damn long?” he asks impatiently, short of breath as Jack is pulling his robe off. Gabriel’s eyes fix hungrily on his body, swallowing him whole before his gaze is shifting lower, to where Jack is still hard for him. “Thought you drowned in the damn bucket.”

“Oh yeah? You seem to be just fine here on your own, without my help,” Jack drawls out, climbing onto the bed. He settles between Gabriel’s welcoming thighs, caresses his skin and discovers that it’s just as hot as he expected. His gaze travels between Gabriel’s face and his hand on his cock.

“Somehow I find even the thought of you and that bucket sexy, Morrison,” Gabriel breathes out. “Could really use your assistance here though.” 

“I’m right here,” Jack whispers, leaning down and pressing his body flat against Gabriel’s. He finds his lips and they indulge in a sloppy kissing, interrupted now and again by Gabriel’s tiny uncontrollable moans.

“Look at you. You are so close already, baby,” Jack whispers in his ear, rubbing his cock against Gabriel’s thigh. “Shame on you for not waiting for me.”

“I…I thought you said you were gonna be fine on your own”

“Is that your way of punishing me? Because I could really use some punishing right now.”

To this Gabriel only furrows his eyebrows in an expression close to ecstasy and shifts under Jack to match the movements of their bodies. Jack kisses his neck, licks his earlobe, reaches between them to align their cocks together and starts grinding against him harder. He then bites his shoulder, determined to leave a mark there and squeezes one of his nipples between his fingers, making Gabriel cry out in surprise and come apart under him, spilling hotly all over his stomach.

“Now we’ve got a seriously unfair situation here,” Jack concludes, watching fires subside in Gabriel’s eyes as his expression changes into a blissfully spent one. 

“You know you should talk more when we’re fucking,” Gabriel tells him languidly, placing one clawed hand on Jack’s nape and bringing their lips together. “I love the sound of your voice.”

“Is that so?” Jack asks, persistently showering him in kisses. Gabriel’s skin feels hot and damp and Jack thinks he’s about to melt against it.

“Come here, boy,” Gabriel suddenly lifts Jack’s upper body and flips him on his side.

Jack feels helpless in his arms, and he lets himself surrender to him completely. Gabriel leans over him and draws a map of kisses down his body, making sure to cover every inch of it while Jack is aching, burning for him. He watches Gabriel as he takes his swollen cock in his mouth starts sucking him off eagerly, never wasting time on any more foreplay. Jack cards his fingers through Gabriel’s hair, pulling it. He closes his eyes, curls up and moans huskily.  

“Yes, baby, just like that,” he utters. “Just the way I love it.”

He pushes into the heat of Gabriel’s mouth that welcomes him so liberally, while Gabriel is making sure to take him deeper each time, pleasuring him expertly. He grabs Jack’s knee, pushes his leg apart for better access. His hand slides down Jack’s inner thigh to cup his balls and squeeze lightly, to then shift further until his clawed fingers are teasing his entrance.  

“I’m gonna come,” Jack breathes out curtly.

Gabriel pulls off him then, takes him in hand and starts stroking him instead.

“Come for me, baby,” he urges him in a silky voice. “Wanna see you come.”

And it’s all it takes for Jack to slip over the edge. He comes in spurts over his body and over Gabriel’s hand as Gabriel keeps manipulating him through his orgasm.

“Damn…damn it, Gabe,” Jack blurts out, unable to get his body under control as it still spasms and jerks blissfully under Gabriel’s knowing ministrations. He makes him feel like he’s coming over and over again, one wave of pleasure after another.

“So easy to please, Jackie,” Gabriel tells him as he finally lies down next to him, kisses him sweetly on the cheek.

“My bad, I have a weak spot for you,” Jack utters breathlessly.

“All the more reasons for me to love you,” Gabriel replies.

Jack wraps his arms around him and locks him securely in his embrace. Gabriel shifts closer, places his hand over Jack’s chest, and nuzzles his neck, humming approvingly. His hair still smells of shampoo and soap and Jack thinks he might have actually died back in Venice and is in heaven now.

It’s true; Gabriel _is_ a monster, a killing merciless creature that knows no pity when it comes to fulfilling his mission. But right now he’s Jack’s, right now he’s nothing short of a miracle carrying another life within him – for Jack. And the weight of him against his chest, the sensation of his warm breathing against his skin evokes in Jack the most tender and blissful of feelings.

“I love you so much,” he says, kissing Gabriel and getting kissed eagerly in return.

“Love you too,” he hears in reply.

“We’ll need that shower fixed tomorrow though,” Gabriel adds.

“Or… we could take a swim in the pond,” Jack suggests.

“There’s no way I’m participating in _that_ ,” Gabriel laughs.       

“You sure?’

“Absolutely!”

“Just thought I'd mention it…” Jack chuckles.

“Gabe…?”

“Yes? Just don’t ask me how I am feeling, Jack. Cause I’m feeling great right now.”

“Well…I wasn’t gonna, but I’m glad to hear this. I just wanted to ask if you enjoyed the day? I was trying to… cheer you up a little.”

“It was the greatest day in my life so far,” Gabriel says. “Each day I spend with you, Jackie.”

Jack chuckles and scoots closer, kissing Gabriel’s hair.

“Same here,” he says, watching the moon passing behind tree tops outside their shelter. “You are everything I ever needed, baby. You have always been.”

 

 

***

 

 

When Jack wakes up the moon has long been replaced by the sun now shining brightly in the clear blue sky. It looks like it’s past noon already. Jack stretches his limbs and yawns, he feels a little groggy, a little rigid after the busy day and night they had so he’s not in a hurry to get out of bed. And why would he be when there’s such a sight to behold by his side. Gabriel is still sleeping peacefully, facing him; both his hands are folded in front of him, his long dark hair spread all over the pillow. Jack reaches out and carefully brushes an unruly strand away from his face, drinking in Gabriel’s features. He figures this is what the best way to start his day looks like.

He rests his cheek on one arm and watches him until the sun peeks through the window and touches Gabriel’s olive skin marked by years, scars and Death. Gabriel knits his brow, his fingers curl into fists. A bad dream.

“Hey, Gabe,” Jack whispers then, caressing his cheek gently. “Wake  up.”

Suddenly there’s a golden glow passing through Gabriel’s body that has nothing to do with the sun gaining strength outside. Jack blinks, thinking that he might be seeing things but the glow is still there when he opens his eyes. It passes over Gabriel’s broad shoulders, along his strong arms and when it disappears, the blackness on his forearms and the tips of his fingers evaporates together with it. Gabriel lets out a sigh; pries open one hazel eye and looks at Jack who’s staring at him with a bewildered expression on his face.

“Whatcha gawking at?” Gabriel mutters.

Jack takes a hold of both Gabriel’s wrists.

“Look at this, Gabe!” he exclaims. “How did you do this??”

Gabriel glances at his hands - perfectly human and clear of Reaper’s ‘curse’. Slowly he sits up in bed, twist and turns his hands this way and that as if he can’t believe what he’s seeing.

“I didn’t do anything!” he admits at last. “It’s just…it’s gone!”

“But…you were kinda… glowing in your sleep. And then this happened,” Jack explains. “It was much like… _damn_ …”

“What?!”

“Angela told me you have healing powers too. Maybe they’ve been activated now that you are…well…”

Meanwhile Gabriel’s hands are turning black again; dark smoke envelops them and the claws grow out long just like they used to be. Gabriel’s groans angrily.

“Whatever it was, looks like it’s not permanent,” he utters.

“But it’s there,” Jack sits up next to him, wraps his arm around his shoulders. “It’s working.”

Gabriel chuckles and tilts his head, pondering.

“Can you believe this shit?” he says. “ _All_ that shit that’s been happening to me recently. I’m still not sure I haven’t dreamt it, Jack.”

“I feel exactly the same way,” Jack responds. “But no, it’s not a dream. It’s all very much real.”

Gabriel puts his hands down - dark against the whiteness of the sheets. He turns his face to Jack, leans in and kisses his lips.

“You were watching me sleep?” he asks in a husky voice.

“No, why would I do _that_?”

“Don’t know. Maybe because you love me?”

Jack laughs, pulls Gabriel closer and they collapse back onto the pillows, kissing, caressing each other until their bodies are all tangled up in Jack’s modest bed.

“What should we do today, hm?” Jack asks. “Another fishing trip?”

“No! No fishing trips for me; I’ve had my share of fun. I mean, it was great, but…maybe some other day when we have some working fishing rods at least. We need to fix our shower problem. My skin feels sticky as hell and we have no damn water.”

“You’re right about that,” Jack states with a sigh. He settles his upper body on Gabriel’s chest, wraps his arms around him while Gabriel places his arm over Jack’s shoulders, holding him protectively. Jack smiles against his skin realizing that it indeed still smells like sex. “But let’s do it bit later maybe?”

“Yeah, a bit later. It’s still early.”

He doesn’t notice when they fall back to sleep and when they are stirred from it by a call from his comm station it’s already getting dark again. Gabriel gets out of bed first and shuffles towards the station to peer at the blinking notification.

“It’s Ana,” he says. “You better answer her.”

Jack scrambles out of bed and follows him.

“Should we tell her?” he asks, doubtful. Gabriel casts a glance at him and Jack can swear there’s a trace of fear in his eyes.

Gabriel shakes his head.

“No,” he says. “Not yet. It’s still too early…”

“Okay.”

He presses the ‘Answer’ button and settles in front of the screen. The room is semi-dark and as he greets Ana he can see Gabriel retreating into the kitchen. Ana is sitting in a chair somewhere in Egypt wrapped cozily in a white plush robe.

“You look well rested,” she concludes after saying hello to Jack. She seems surprisingly peaceful and calm. “A beard? Really?”

“Thanks. Ah, I’m gonna shave it off soon, it’s…temporary,” he says. “You look…well rested too by the way”.

She waves him off, smiling mysteriously.

“How’s Gabriel?” she asks. “There’s been no news from the two of you and we’re all getting really worried. Have you forgotten we exist?”

“Haven’t Dr. Ziegler contacted you?” Jack asks and by the surprised expression on Ana’s face he realizes too late that he shouldn’t have. Angela didn’t tell them about her visit!

“She said she’s off to some scientific conference, she’s never mentioned that…did she visit you??”

“Ah, yes,” Jack admits. It’s too late to back away and he isn’t willing to lie to Ana. “She helped us a bit.”

“Is it something serious, Jack?” Ana asks, concerned.

“It was a…nasty cold,” well that’s it. He _is_ lying now. “He’s almost recovered. So it’s fine. No need to worry.”

“It’s a tremendous relief to hear,” Ana says with a sigh. “So does that mean the two of you are coming back soon?”

“Ugh…I’m not sure. We will! But Gabriel’s still pretty weak, so…”

“Yeah, tell her about the poor feeble Gabriel,” Gabriel announces from the kitchen where he stands leaning against a counter, sipping coffee.   

“Well, there he is,” Jack says, lifting his hands in dismay.

“It’s good to hear your cheerful and lovely voice, Gabriel,” Ana declares with a smile. “I hope it’s true that you’re recovering! Would be nice to see your face too.”

Jack gestures for him to come closer.

“Come over here, show yourself damn it,” he says.

Gabriel sighs, mumbles something along the lines of _‘For fuck’s sake’_ and saunters to the room. Jack gets up from the only chair they have at once and Gabriel lands into it gracelessly, a mug of coffee still clutched in his hand. Ana quirks a brow at Jack’s excessive courteousness but says nothing.

“Hi,” Gabriel greets her.

“Now I can _see_ that you indeed feel better!” she says, smiling genuinely. “Everything that happened must have been really tough for you, Gabriel. I can understand. So take all the time you need to fully recover.”

“How are you holding up without us?” Gabriel asks her.

“We are doing fine. We ceased our tracking missions for the time being. I hope you’re okay with that. We thought it best to first fortify and equip the place we will call our headquarters soon. Once you come back, you will see for yourselves. Don’t take too long though, because…”

_“Do you want some coffee, my dear sweetheart?”_

Reinhardt’s voice comes so unexpectedly that both Gabriel and Jack jump in their places. Ana seems completely at a loss.

“You got company,” Gabriel remarks coyly.

“I…I do,” she says and it’s so endearing to witness her sudden abashment.

_“Do you want some sugar with it too?”_

Jack chuckles and tries his best to make it appear like a mild coughing fit.

“I’ve got to go now, boys. Please, behave. And stay in touch. Ana’s out.”

The screen switches off and the silence is complete.

“Well it’s good to see that we ain’t the only ones bonding over all this mess,” Jack concludes.

Gabriel rises from the chair and wraps his arm around Jack’s waist, making him gasp by pulling him closer and crushing their hips together like they’re about to engage in a heated tango or a waltz.

“Do you want some sugar with your coffee, my dear sweetheart?” he asks, mimicking Reinhardt’s voice. Jack laughs, blushing as he presses his forehead against Gabriel’s.

“You’re embarrassingly good at this,” he says.

“Thank you for not telling her.”

“I fucked up about Angela though,” Jack says. “They will learn sooner or later.”

“Doesn’t matter now. We will take it one step at a time.”

“Okay. Whatever you decide on the matter, I’m on your side. Don’t forget that. Now why don’t we take a look at that damn shower…?” 

 

 

***

 

Time slips by in a flash and somewhere along the way Jack loses track of it almost entirely although they remember to keep in touch with Ana and the rest of their team, to check how things are going somewhere out there now and again. Time is merciless and they both understand it now that they are older – giving priority to personal matters.

Deep winter arrives, snowy and frosty as ever, painting white over gold, but it is always warm inside Jack’s cabin much as it is inside his heart. For the first time in many years he actually cares to celebrate Christmas. Together with Gabriel they procure a Christmas tree in the woods and decorate it. Gabriel keeps joking about it, telling Jack how he hasn’t done this shit in ages and his smile is all Jack needs to feel alive too. Last Christmas he spent with no one to keep him company but his rifle and a bottle of whiskey, holing up somewhere in a desert. This time however, he kisses the man he loves, holding him tight in his arms and with all his heart he wishes that the year brings the two of them the only thing they both need the most – peace, together. That night Jack gives himself to Gabriel, despite Angela’s words echoing sternly in his head about genetic alterations and risk of dying in various ways. They try to take it slow, but in the morning Jack wakes up looking younger once again.

“Angela probably gonna kill me,” he says. “But it was the best night of my life.”

“Then that’s the only thing that matters,” Gabriel tells him, placing a reassuring hand on the back of his neck and massaging it gently. His hands are clawless after yet another ‘glowing’ episode and this time the effect lingers longer. These ‘episodes’ seem to be recurring more often as Reaper is finally stepping aside. He is not gone entirely, he probably never will be, but he’s changing too, from a killer device - into something else, something tender and yet unknown to the two of them.

Still, although these changes seem to be for the better, there’s no denial that they need to be looked into and treated. Both Jack and Gabriel are hesitant to leave their place of safety, but when Christmas is over it is Gabriel who wakes up one day and says that they should contact Angela just like they promised her.

“Those were great few weeks, Jackie,” he admits. “Thank you.”

“Now, we’re both scared of _this_ ,” he goes on, pointing at his belly.

“I am not,” Jack protests but Gabriel only shakes his head, rubs his neck and looks away for a moment before turning his eyes back to him.

“Yes you are. You being brave for me helps, but it doesn’t provide the answers. We’ve got to see for sure what’s happening to me. Much as I hate the idea of handing my body in ‘for science’ again.”

“Are you feeling alright, Gabe?”

Gabriel nods.

Jack lets out a long sigh.

“I knew that you’d hate it,” he says. “We’ve been fighting Reaper for years even before Talon and…But it’s different this time. Don’t you see it is changing? Before, all we managed to do was hold it back but now it’s…not about that. Whatever Reaper is doing to you – he always seems to do it to protect you. And Angela isn’t another Moira. We can trust her, Gabe. The fact that she reached out to us in such a situation – only proves it.”

Gabriel is quiet for a long time and Jack moves closer to him, ready to support him and reassure him in any way he can.

He never pushed him, never reminded him of the necessity to go to Angela’s clinic because he knows like no one else that this is a decision Gabriel has to make himself and that he will eventually. Because he knows like no one else how much struggle this ‘Reaper condition’ has brought them in the past and how in the end it became a tool in the hands of the wrong people. Having given all of himself for the sake of science that betrayed him once, Gabriel has developed a sort of phobia towards doctors and scientists. There’s a whole list of those Reaper killed during Gabriel’s years in Talon and his hands are still itching to finish the job of hunting some of them down.

“Alright,” he says at last. “It’s sink or swim I guess just like always.”

“It ain’t like always. Because this time I’m gonna be by your side. I can even hold your hand if you want me to. Cause the mistake was mine too. I should’ve paid closer attention to you back in Overwatch. Instead I was too preoccupied with the matters of state. Thought I could change the world for the better. Fuck that. Should’ve realized earlier that my greatest treasure was you.”

Gabriel chuckles.

“You’re getting grumpy, old man,” he says, but there’s a smile tugging at the corners of his lips and a soft twinkle in his eyes. “I made mistakes too.”

“But you always knew what you were fighting for. I was a fool. And it killed us both in the end.”

“You were a dreamer. A real hero. You still are. And I will always admire you for that. I was willing to make any sacrifices for you to realize your dream. Reaper was one of them. Dream crushed. It happens.”

“Well, will never happen again,” Jack tells him and they stare into each other’s eyes – blue on red. Jack’s are full of fire so familiar and determined it makes Gabriel’s heart skip a bit. He’d turn the world around over and over again only for those eyes to keep burning so brightly - his sole guiding light in the dark.

 

***

 

They drive up to Angela’s clinic few days after that talk, after they have contacted her and told her about their final decision to keep the baby. Jack kills the engine of the truck and inspects the colossal building. He’s never been here before ever since the fall of Overwatch, he is nervous and excited. Gabriel, on the other hand, looks gloomy and sullen, he watches the pristine windows and the doors of the clinic like he’s about to go on a do-or-die mission. He’s dressed in all black, his clawed hands hidden in the pockets of his new favorite hoodie.

“Hey,” Jack tells him. “It’s gonna be okay.”

Gabriel only shrugs one shoulder at that, clicking his tongue disapprovingly. As they leave the truck he pulls up his hood to cover his face and proceeds to walk, looking down. Jack hesitates for a moment before leaving the truck to follow his partner. He reaches into the glove compartment, fishes out one of Gabriel’s old beanies and puts it on, hoping that it will cover his now thick straw-colored hair that will surely give all his sins away to Angela and all he wants right now is for her to focus on Gabriel instead.

He catches up with him and they follow the stairs up towards the sliding glass doors – two strange looking tall figures that, despite all their efforts to blend in, stand out still in the crowd of people, drawing in curious gazes.  

They approach the registration counter and Jack smiles at the girl sitting there, hoping with all his might that this smile turns out friendly and warm, not scary and threatening.

“We are here to see Dr. Angela Ziegler,” he says.

She smiles sweetly in return, batting her inky eyelashes at him and he’s relieved to see that his charms still seem to be working. He remembers that he also looks younger now and grows even bolder, coming closer and placing his elbows on the counter.

“Okay, just a second please, mister…?”

“John Reyes,” Jack replies quirking his brow. “We’re her friends. Tell her it’s a private appointment…Julie, please, she’ll know.”

Julie blushes and nods, dialing the number.

“She says she’ll come to meet you shortly, Mr. Reyes,” she informs him. And after a pause of hesitation she asks shyly. “Your face looks familiar. Haven’t I met you somewhere before?”

 _Yeah, that face used to be on all posters and TV screens across the country few years back_ , Jack thinks, hoping that his scars still do a good job of covering his personality.

“No, you must be mistaking me for someone else,” he tells her and leaves the counter, heading back to Gabriel who stands inconspicuously in the darkest corner of the waiting room, red eyes scanning a group of patients from under the lowered hood.

“She’s coming to meet us,” Jack tells him.

“Flirting with young girls now, uh, Mr. Reyes?” Gabriel asks him, smirking.

“I was just trying to be polite,” Jack laughs. “Besides, I like how it sounds. And I kinda am…Mr. Reyes now, ain’t I?”

Gabriel says nothing, but his gaze is now on Jack, eyes color changed from red to hazel once again and he is smiling crookedly.

“You look good in that beanie,” he notes, his voice sounds amused. “It does a shitty job of covering your age-leap though. And makes you popular with girls Tracer’s age.”

“Damn it. How do _you_ do that? So hard to blend in with civil human beings when you’re a vigilante hunted by law who once used to be their favorite poster boy.”

“Well, you learn a thing or two when you’re a terrorist wanted all over the world. Mr. Reyes,” that smirk reappears when he leans to Jack and whispers something dirty in Jack’s ear, his beard tickling the sensitive skin.

Jack blushes furiously and waves him off, covering his face and giggling. Gabriel is chuckling too, the tension finally gone from the stern lines of his face.

With his imagination gone wild, Jack bites his lower lip to regain composure as he realizes that the bored patients in the room are now watching them. Gabriel clears his throat and looks down again. He makes a serious face, concentrating hard on the tiled floor but then a naughty smile breaks out again and he shakes his head, pulling his hood further down over his face. Jack can’t help but burst out laughing at the sight of him.

That’s how Angela finds them when she comes out.

“Please, follow me,” she tells them, raising an eyebrow when they finally notice her presence.

The two of them are quiet as she leads them along the long carpeted hall with floor-to-ceiling windows and glass ceiling basking in sunlight. Still, somehow the atmosphere of perfect order and pristine surroundings make Jack nervous. Angela tells them something about the building and its facilities, about rooms and departments they pass by and about high levels of security. They step onto a moving staircase and travel to the top floor where another wall of endless windows overlooks a tidy garden below.

Jack and Gabriel follow her into a spacy medical unit equipped with various medical devices that somehow manage to blend in here and appear like a mere part of the modern interior.

“How are you feeling, Reyes?” she asks, turning around to face them. Her voice is threaded with genuine concern. Sunlight is flowing abundantly through the windows, reflects on her white coat and gathers around her head into a semblance of a halo.

“Ah, better than the last time you saw me, doc,” he replies.

“So, this didn’t happen again?” she asks, inclining her head and watching him closely.

“No… There might have been some…general nausea but nothing like that last time.”

“Very well,” she says and smiles, her features brighten up. “I’m going to take a 4D scan now. It won’t take long and it’s absolutely painless. It will help to see how the baby is doing.”

“Okay,” Gabriel nods, sounding somewhat helpless.

“Hop on here and take off your shirt,” Angela says, patting the examination table. “I’ll be with you in a minute.”

She retreats into the adjacent room and Jack follows Gabriel to the table. He stands by his side as Gabriel settles deftly on the edge of it and starts undoing his hoodie.     

“Blasting your way through Talon forces is somehow easier than this,” he admits quietly.

Jack wants to comfort him but he too is anxious as hell, to the point where he can see his own hands trembling a little while he is helping Gabriel with the hoodie and then with his tee shirt, pulling it over his head. He steps a little closer when Gabriel’s upper body is revealed – a perfect display of finely sculptured muscles and old scars that is now somehow distorted by a small bump already forming down in the area of his abdomen. Jack places his hands on Gabriel’s upper arms and rubs them gently, pressing his forehead to Gabriel’s. He might be at a loss for words but he is still telling him that he’s here, by his side, no matter how strange the situation might feel. Gabriel leans closer to him, closes his eyes and nuzzles his cheek.

“How about we go to the movies later today? When we’re done here?” Jack suggests. “Grab some popcorn and watch the stupidest shit they’re showing these days? A romantic comedy maybe?”

Gabriel chuckles.

“Sounds nice,” he says. “But not nice enough unless we are in the back row and you’re giving me a handjob.”

“Consider it done,” Jack nods, smirking.

When Angela returns Jack wonders if she walked out on purpose to give them some moments alone. She sits down at her table and asks in her sweetest voice,

“So, are you two ready?”

“Yes,” Gabriel replies.

She nods, switches the monitor on, turns back to Gabriel and gestures for him to lie down. She then applies some gel on his abdomen, spreading it evenly. Gabriel’s whole body tenses at the contact when she brings a probe to it, his hand finding Jack’s and squeezing it tightly.

“Oh my, your pulse is racing,” Angela remarks, smiling. “Relax, there’s nothing scary about that.”

“I’m trying to,” Gabriel tells her, squeezing Jack’s hand tighter, making him hiss in pain.

Eventually his pulse rate stabilizes and Jack can see him watching Angela closely, watching her face for any signs of shock or disgust as she moves the probe around his abdomen. At last she leans back in her chair, looks at the two of them and announces,

“It is a girl.” 

Now Jack can feel his own pulse rate accelerating to a dizzying point, his own breath hitches as he puts another hand over Gabriel’s. He thought he was prepared to hear anything – any bad news there can be. But this?? No, he was not prepared for _this_.  

“Are you sure?” he mutters, feeling his heart pounding somewhere in his throat and his eyes start stinging without him ever giving permission for them to do so.

“Absolutely,” Angela confirms.

Jack glances at Gabriel but Gabriel’s eyes are still fixed intently on Angela’s face.

“Is it…does it look – _human_?” he asks her at last although finding these words seems to be a struggle for him.

Smile disappears from Angela’s face and instead she stares at Gabriel with a profound emotion reflected in her large eyes. For the first time she seems to have realized the true depth of his fear.

“Of course, Gabriel,” she assures him. She turns the monitor towards them. “You can see for yourself. I can even print it out for you if you want.”

Both Jack and Gabriel are staring at the monitor, Gabriel moves up the table a little, propping himself up on his elbows and leaning further.

“Can you see her?” Angela asks. “I think she is beautiful. And she even has her own heart rate.”

She points at the cardiogram and then turns her attention back to Gabriel. His eyes are wide open and shiny; the corners of his lips quiver a little and then stretch into a crooked smile.

“Yes, I can see now,” he says gruffly.  He falls back onto the table and lets out a long heavy sigh of relief, looking at the ceiling and then turning his gaze to Jack. Seems like the weight of the world has been finally lifted from his chest.

“A girl, Jack,” he says tenderly.

“Yeah,” is all Jack manages to say. He smiles but the lump in his throat wouldn’t let him speak so all he can do is nod, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. He can feel Gabriel’s thumb caressing his hand reassuringly and somehow it makes him even more emotional, to the point where he has to turn away for a moment and let two tears roll down his weather-worn cheeks.

“What do we do now, doc?” he can hear Gabriel ask.

“Take care of your health of course. Drink more water and eat healthy food. As I said earlier, it will be better if I monitor you in our new headquarters. I will be heading out there in a week. We can arrange another examination there.”

“Okay.”

“There’s something else,” Angela says. “It’s about your wraith form. I absolutely have to warn you. Don’t turn. Under no circumstances. It will most likely be lethal for the baby girl and it will cause irreparable harm to your health as well.”

“I figured as much,” Gabriel tells her. “There’s also that thing that’s been happening to me recently. I don’t know if you can explain it. It works much like Jack’s biotic field – a kind of golden glow. From time to time it would pass through me and it kinda…makes ‘reaper’ symptoms disappear temporarily.” 

“I see. Well, now that I’ve studied your medical history I can tell that compared to how you used to be how you are now is completely different. The cells of your body seem to have stabilized, your medical condition has improved greatly and you’re definitely more alive than you are dead. You _are_ improving, that’s for sure.”

“As for this ‘golden glow’,” Angela continues, pointing at the screen and then rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “I will need to look into it. But I think what it means is that your baby might be an inherent healer. She’s trying to repair you from inside already.”

“A natural born healer?” Jack wonders, having finally managed to pull himself together.

“And you expected anything less?” Gabriel nudges him with that same crooked smile.

“I definitely didn’t expect anything less from the two of you,” Angela notes, chuckling. “You’re free to go now. Please, remember what I told you.”

“The most important thing now is also keeping it all under the radar,” Gabriel says, sitting up and accepting his clothes from Jack. “I hope you remember about that too, doc.”

Angela seems to be a little offended by his words.

“Well, try and trust me,” she says. “No one will learn about this from me.”

“I trust you enough,” Gabriel tells her, zipping his hoodie up. “I just want you to know what risks you might be taking here. There’re a lot of people who want my head on a stick. There’re also a lot of those who would wish to use this medical data and ‘study’ me. And to get this data they would be willing to use every trick in the book. You will need high level of protection too. So I suggest you move to the headquarters ASAP. Our guys will take care of you out there. Those are the only people you can trust. But for now even they shouldn’t be let in on the baby situation. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Angela replies with a stern expression on her beautiful face. “Now I understand, Gabriel. I will be careful.”

“Good.”

She sees them out, quiet, concerned, and, having given both of them a goodbye embrace, she remains standing by the doors to the clinic for a long while, watching them drive away.

“Did you really have to scare her like that?” Jack says when the building disappears from the rear view mirror.

“Scare?” Gabriel asks, raising his eyebrows. “She’s tougher than the two of us. She will handle it. She has to understand what she is sighing up for too.”

The two of them keep silent for the next hour, contemplating everything they have just learnt. And all that time Jack can’t contain a happy smile that is spreading over his face. _A baby girl!_ The realization seems to sparkle within him again and again, bringing him joy he’s never known before, making his heart flutter in his chest. He never thought he can still experience it. Gabriel, on the other hand, is strangely quiet along the way, holding the scans Angela gave him and looking through them over and over again. In fact, he never once glances up from them, seems to be lost in thought.

“Are you alright, Gabe?” Jack finally asks him after glancing at him for what seems like a hundredth of time and discovering him still immersed in studying those pictures.

Gabriel shakes his head, lets out a trembling desperate sigh and looks away as if suddenly interested in what’s going on in the side window.

“Gabe?” Jack calls, really worried now. He pulls over on the roadside and unbuckles his seatbelt before reaching for his partner. “Gabe, talk to me, please.”

“There’s nothing to talk about, I’m just…,” Gabriel tells him, gesturing vaguely. He sniffles and rubs at his eyes with the side of his palm.

“Taking off your mask?” Jack asks him gently, caressing his neck.

Gabriel turns his face to him, wet with tears, and Jack’s heart stings at the sight.

“Yeah,” Gabriel nods with a smile ghosting over his lips.

Jack leans closer and plants a lingering kiss to Gabriel’s cheek. He kisses each of those tears away and then glances at those beautiful hazel eyes, the look in them so tender and vulnerable now that Gabriel allows himself to be overwhelmed in front of him.  

“You’re the bravest man I ever known,” Jack says. “And that’s enough of bravery for today, right?”

“Oh, Jackie,” Gabriel responds and Jack kisses him again, this time on the lips, nibbling gently on the lower one until Gabriel grants him access for more and he dares further, his own skin feels damp with Gabriel’s hot tears that just keep rolling down his cheeks as he no longer tries to hold them back. At some point they have to break the kiss and Gabriel hides his face in the crook of Jack’s neck.

“Love you so much,” he whispers. Jack puts his hand protectively over Gabriel’s belly. Gabriel covers his hand with his own and holds it there. They stay like that for a while, listening to winter birds singing in the nearest grove, listening to the cars passing by swiftly while their own lives seem to have taken a break, floating weightlessly above the daily vanities in a whole new world existing only for the two of them.

“How about our cinema plans?” Gabriel asks when he finally regains his composure and the sun turns a richer shade of golden by the horizon. 

Jack kisses his forehead.

“I’m on it if you still want to go,” he replies.

“Well, I kinda still want that handjob,” Gabriel jokes.

“Oh yeah? I can give you one right here, baby,” Jack says, reaching to palm Gabriel’s cock through the fabric of his jeans.

“You’re no romantic!” Gabriel laughs, playfully swatting his hand away. “What about a sappy movie to accompany it by at least?”

“Fine, fine,” Jack complies.

“And I’m also hungry as fuck,” Gabriel barks out somewhat aggressively.

“Damn!” Jack exclaims shifting away from him in a pretend fear.

“Yeah, I’m gonna start acting like a proper pregnant person now. So you better buckle up for a bumpier ride.”

“Whatever you say, boss,” Jack replies. “Let’s go wine and dine you first then and make it a proper sophisticated date.”

“Right. I might even give you a handjob in return if I like it enough.”

Jack laughs.

“Just admit it already that you’re damn horny”

“I ain’t admitting shit.”     

“Okay. Where’s the nearest diner or some highfalutin restaurant I need to get you there before you’re out of control.”

 

***

 

When they make it back home the night is late already. They weren’t in much hurry to finish their date early and chose the last movie showing to make sure that there would be no unnecessary company around. As a result they ended up almost completely alone in an empty theatre, except for a couple of teens in the row in front of them who weren’t interested in the movie itself much like Gabriel and Jack.

“Man, I’m so tired,” Gabriel sighs as soon as they step inside. He takes his hoodie off and tosses it aside lazily, never caring where it lands.

“It’s been a long day, “Jack says. “Hope it was worth it.”

“Of course it was! Even the movie was pretty solid by the way.”

“You even managed to watch that movie?” Jack chuckles good-naturedly, shaking his head in disbelief. 

Gabriel taps a finger against his temple and smiles coyly.

“You were good. But I’m always assessing the situation,” he says and collapses onto the bed, landing across it. He spreads his arms and legs purposefully to occupy the whole space.

“Come here. Let’s sleep now,” he says.

Jack leaves his jacket on the nail in the wall, steps out of his boots and walks to the bed, ‘assessing’ the situation. He places his hands on his hips.

“Aren’t you gonna undress first at least?” he asks.

“Nah, I’m too tired,” Gabriel shakes his head.

“Want me to help you with that?” Jack lands awkwardly on the only corner of the bed not occupied by Gabriel’s limbs. He reaches for Gabriel as if to pull his tee shirt off but instead starts to tickle him, making him laugh and jerk away.

“Move your ass aside,” he can’t help but laugh too now at the sheer childishness of Gabriel’s reaction. “You think I forgot how ticklish you are?”

“Stop it,” Gabriel laughs, rolling to his side as Jack proceeds with his assault.

“Gonna tickle you to death, oh mighty Reaper.”

“Alright, aright. Moving,” Gabriel shifts to his side of the bed at last and Jack settles beside him, spooning him from behind. At some point they stop giggling like children and calm down, their breathing evens out. Jack places his chin on Gabriel’s shoulder and listens to the quiet, caressing Gabriel’s arm.  

“Let’s take one more day before heading out to Egypt?” he suggests hopefully. He realizes that he doesn’t want to leave the place. That all he wants is to stay here with Gabriel, to start a real family with him and to stay away from any matters of the world. “One more day won’t change anything.”

“Okay,” Gabriel agrees easily, shifting closer to Jack.

They start to doze off already when Jack notices a notification blinking on the screen of his comm station.

“Gotta check this,” he says and begins to rise from the bed but Gabriel’s hand squeezes his shoulder, wouldn’t let him go.    

“Let’s not,” he proposes. “Whatever it is it can wait till the morning.”

“But…,”

“Please, Jackie,” Jack isn’t sure why but Gabriel almost sounds like he’s begging now. He turns to look at him and sees that his eyes are burning scarlet in the dark – a true sign that he’s worried. Jack frowns.

“I ain’t gonna get any sleep until I see what’s there and neither do you I figure,” he yanks his shoulder free from Gabriel’s persistent grip, gets up and shuffles to the station. He switches the screen on and opens the message,

 

_purple_fettuccine: GOTCHA_

“What the hell that’s supposed to mean?” he mumbles and sits down into the chair. He re-reads the message several times, checks for any more notifications or explanations attached. But there’s nothing, only that one word. He looks over his shoulder, at Gabriel, who is concealed by the shadows of the night almost entirely. But even so Jack can tell that he’s tense, as if he’s waiting to hear the worst news.

“What’s that?” he asks and his voice sounds angry.

“It’s from Sombra…?” Jack tells him.

“What?! It can’t be!”

Gabriel tosses his pillow aside in clear frustration, gets up from the bed and walks up to the station. He leans on the back of Jack’s chair and reads the message.

“Fuck,” is all he says and Jack can see his eyes widen.

“What does that mean?” he asks.

Gabriel straightens up, breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling and the expression on his face is brooding, dark in the scant light from the comm screen.

“Means we gotta get out of here. Right now.”

Without any further explanation he hastens to their shared wardrobe closet, which they made together few weeks back. He fishes out their travel bags and tosses them carelessly into the middle of the room. Then he proceeds to do the same with their clothes.

Jack rises to his feet; holding on to the chair. He would be lying if he said he isn’t scared of such a strange change in Gabriel. 

“Gabe?” he calls him.

“Come on, hurry up! Get your fucking stuff!”

“Gabe?”

“Should’ve figured this shit would happen. Have to do all by my damn self. Just the usual.”

“Gabriel!!” Jack’s voice roars so loud that the cabin rattles. Gabriel stops in his tracks and turns to him. Jack takes a step closer, his eyes flashing fires.

“Quit screwing with me. Calm down. Tell me what’s going on?” he demands.

Gabriel growls in frustration, looks down and sighs, closing his eyes.

“Sombra and me we had an agreement,” he finally says. “Once you get this message -means she’s been hacked.”

“Hacked? Sombra?? How’s that even possible?”

“I don’t know!” Gabriel sounds desperate. “It doesn’t matter now. The fact that they hacked her means that they hacked your comm too! Whoever they are they know our location now. And who knows for how long they have known! Come on, Jack, let’s get out of here.”

“We need to contact the headquarters.”

“Too dangerous. First we need to contact Sombra.”

“Can you do that?”

“I can try.”

“Alright. You go on and contact her then. I’ll pack our stuff. And, please, stay calm, we’ll figure it out.”

“I am calm damn it.”

“Doesn’t seem so to me.”

It takes Jack no more than few minutes to put his armor suit on, to pack their bags, to check his pulse rifle and to bring their bags into the truck. The night is still surprisingly quiet, nothing seems to disturb it, not even drastic turns of events in their ever unstable lives. He walks back to the cabin and grabs Gabriel’s mask from the windowsill. He waits by the door while Gabriel is talking to Sombra via what looks like a simple ancient mobile phone.

“So what did she say?” he asks when Gabriel is done.

“She’s already working on it. With luck, we’ll be able to trace signal back to them soon. Then we’ll know who the fuck they are.”

Gabriel slips his hoodie back on and Jack helps him to strap his bullet-proof garment over it. His Reaper attire no longer fits him and moreover, it makes it too tempting for him to turn which they absolutely cannot allow now.

They get into the truck, Jack’s rifle and Gabriel’s shotguns at the ready on the backseat. Jack hands the mask to his partner and he puts it on, adjusts it deftly before pulling the hood over it.

“So where are we going?”

“Just drive. Away from here. We’ll figure out along the way.”

“Alright,” Jack tells him, activating his visor.

The night is dark and the roads are empty. Jack’s thoughts are buzzing, conveying one possible scenario after another in his head, racing through all the possible plans of action. Maybe they should stay in some motel? Seems like the best possible solution in their situation. But they need to get in touch with their team too. And the sooner the better…

Before he has a chance to share his concern with Reaper he receives an incoming call on his private channel.

“Jack? Ana here,” he hears as soon as he takes it. “Where are you now? Is everything alright?”

“What happened?” he asks her instead, worried that this channel might be surveilled now as well.

“Lena’s been kidnapped.”

“What??”

“Someone’s hacked our headquarters and…this is crazy. We think they’re targeting you and Gabriel although it’s hard to say for sure what they are trying to do here. We’re currently following their ship; it heads across the Atlantic and probably to your location, with Lena onboard. I suggest you leave immediately.”

“We did already! Who were they?”

“I know none of those people. Most of them are omnics.”

“They hacked Sombra too, hacked my comm back in the cabin and I guess that’s where they are headed now.”

“Our other ship, with Jesse, Hana and Fareeha is heading to your usual meeting point. If you go there fast enough, we’ll be able to evacuate both of you before they get to you. It’s good that you figured out so early on.”

“Well, there’s a certain price to pay for hacking Sombra. It’s thanks to her we’re ahead of you now.”

“We’ll be on our way and keep in touch. Ana’s out.”

“What happened?” Gabriel asks him.

“They kidnapped Lena and are probably heading to our cabin. You were right, they know where we live. Now we’re going to our meeting point. Evac ship will pick us up there.”

“Kidnapped Lena?”

“Yes,” Jack says, turning the car around.

“They want a bargain. They want _me_.”

“We don’t know that yet.”

“Why else would they go to such lengths?”

“Ana says they are omnics mostly.”

“Then it’s probably Maximilien. And he _would_ want a bargain. I betrayed him.”

Jack bites his lip and drives faster.

“I won’t let anyone near you.”

Gabriel keeps strangely quiet.

The morning is stirring back to life when they arrive at the meeting destination. There’s no ship there but a black vintage car is waiting for them, its motor buzzing quietly as it hovers above the ground.

“Damn it, we’ve been fucked yet again,” Gabriel hisses through gritted teeth.

“What do you mean?” Jack asks him sternly but Gabriel is already getting out of the truck.

The headlights on the vintage Cadillac switch on, pulling him out of the dark and he has to shield his masked face with one arm. Jack steps out of the truck too when he sees a man walk from the car in their direction, his broad-shouldered huge figure towering above them in the blinding lights. Doomfist?

But when he starts to speak it’s clear that it’s not him. Three more figures his size appear behind him - omnics, fully armed.  Jack’s heart sinks. 

“Gabriel Reyes,” the man announces, his harsh voice roaring over the empty parking lot like thunder. “We’re here to collect you. You shall go with us.”

“Why would I?” Gabriel asks.

“Our boss wants to have a word with you.”

“Who’s your boss?”

“You will see for yourself.”

“He’s not going anywhere!” Jack warns the men.

The one in charge glances at him with what looks like amusement and mockery and snaps his fingers.

“If you don’t go,” he goes on, sneering. “We will leave you to guess who our boss is over Jack Morrison’s dead body.”

In the next moment something fires in the distance and a bullet flies past Jack, barely grazing his visor. He goes still, looks down at his body and sees multiple laser beams pointing at all his vital organs. There’re snipers somewhere around.

“I’m not here to trade anecdotes with you. I want you to take my boss’ demands seriously.”

 “Alright. There’s no need for violence. I will go with you,” Gabriel declares in his Reaper voice.

“That’s very good. I like how cooperative you are. We’ll make good friends,” the man says and gestures at the car. “Please?”

“Don’t do this, Gabriel!” Jack warns and Gabriel hesitates. He turns to glance at Jack and subtly shakes his head.

“Let him go and I will,” he then says nodding in Jack’s direction.

The man sighs, folds his huge arms over his chest.

“Now, that’s no way to make bargains with me. He goes, how should I know he won’t be following us after with all your merry company?”

“How should I know you won’t kill him as soon as I get into that car?” Reaper barks out.

“You shan’t,” the man says curtly. “And you are in no position to make demands.”

Gabriel takes one step closer to him.

“Gabriel!” Jack calls but in vain.

“I take one step- you call one sniper off,” Gabriel says coldly.

The man laughs.

“Oh I like you, man” he says. And nods. One laser dot disappears from Jack’s body.

One more step – one more dot, and another, and another.

“Come closer, don’t be shy,” the man sneers and the last dot is gone.

Jack reaches for his handgun when two omnics grab Gabriel, tear off his mask and start dragging him to the car. It happens in a matter of seconds – the man snaps his fingers and there’s a shot, a ringing sound in Jack’s head, Gabriel’s cry and Gabriel’s frightened eyes.

Then darkness.     

 

***

In it Jack can hear his own ragged breathing, it echoes through his head and is so loud he thinks he might go crazy from it. He tries to move, but his limbs are too heavy. He pries one eye open and sees that the sky is nothing but a bright reddish smudge. It blinds him, shoves him back onto the ground.  

 _How did I end up here?_ he wonders and then he remembers.

He’s been shot.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading and commenting on this story. Final chapter is surely coming in a few weeks but might be finished a week or two later than usual because I will be away on vacation and I also feel like that chapter is going to get me emotionally wrecked. Don't worry though, I'm not going to get our guys killed :)


	8. Dead Man's Destination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is it the end? Or is it only the beginning of the road from their shadows?

_Jack reaches for his handgun when two omnics grab Gabriel, tear off his mask and start dragging him to the car. It happens in a matter of seconds – the man snaps his fingers and there’s a shot, a ringing sound in Jack’s head, Gabriel’s cry and Gabriel’s frightened eyes._

_Then darkness._

_***_

_In it Jack can hear his own ragged breathing, it echoes through his head and is so loud he thinks he might go crazy from it. He tries to move, but his limbs are too heavy. He pries one eye open and sees that the sky is nothing but a bright reddish smudge. It blinds him, shoves him back onto the ground._

_How did I end up here?_ he wonders and then he remembers.

He’s been shot.

**viii. Dead Man's Destination**

 

Slowly Jack rolls to his side and heaves a wheezing sigh of pain when he attempts to raise himself on one elbow. He stares numbly at the asphalt for a while, watching the scarlet droplets of his blood drip onto it and freeze. He wants to touch the wound burning him somewhere above his temple but is afraid to, sensing how pieces of the fractured visor got deep under his skin. Instead he reaches for the comm button. He takes a deep breath and, with a moan of excruciating pain, he shifts to his knees, tearing his upper body away from the welcoming ground that seems to be pulling him back down with unbelievable force. Shaking violently, he hurries to unclasp one biotic emitter from his belt and activates it. It helps with the ringing agony in his head a little, allowing Jack to look up. He inhales the cold winter air and realizes that half of his visor is still functional to some extent.

“Report…,” he blurts out weakly into his comm in hopes that someone might hear him.

The memory of what has happened comes back fast and so does his dismay. Holding on to the side of his truck for dear life he scrambles up to his feet and attempts to find his balance. Hot blood seeps down his temple and his cheek as soon as he starts to move. His head feels like it’s exploding into thousand tiny pieces every second, the pain still blooming and throbbing steadily despite the emitter now working.

“Report!” Jack states again, his voice steadier this time. “Report the situation!”

“Hey there, _amigo_. Awake at last?”

He recognizes the voice at once.

“Sombra?”

“I knew you aren’t killed easily but damn does it take you so long to get back up. I just wanted to make it clear, _amigo_ \- I had nothing to do with that hack.”

Jack is silent, eyes now fixed on a hoverbike parked nearby, right under the red signpost screaming ‘No Parking’. It’s huge and seems capable of picking up high speed in no time. It looks exactly like what Jack needs right now. The more he hesitates, the fewer chances he has at getting _there_ in time…

“I’m going to do everything in my power to prove it to you. I’m going to help you get those _pendejos_.”

“Okay. I trust you on this,” he says, nodding, provoking another flash of sharp sudden pain.

“Gabe still got his comm on. Stupid _idiotas_ didn’t even discover it yet. I’m not connecting you, it’s too risky. But I let him know you’re alive.”

“Thank you for this. I’m in your debt,” Jack can literally feel the tight grip of despair on his ribcage loosen. He can breathe a little easier.

“I’ve got more than this for you, _querido_ ,” she goes on. “Bad news so you better brace yourself. You’re still unsteady on your feet it looks like.”

_Is she still here?_

Jack looks around but sees no one in the vicinity.

“They blasted your little cabin. Nothing’s left of it but black spot now.”

“Damn,” Jack hisses angrily.

“Sorry to tell you this. Want to know how they managed the hack?”

“Oh, do I?”

“There’s been a bug on your jacket this whole time, _amigo_. They were watching you.”

“What?!”  Jack exclaims. “No, this can’t be.”

Then he remembers a shadowy figure that pushed him off the balcony back at Akande’s place. He curses soundlessly and starts pulling off his jacket but Sombra stops him.

“Don’t waste your time, I’ve already taken care of this,” she says.

“Why don’t you show yourself then?” Jack demands, getting frustrated now.

“I don’t like showing myself to people much,” she says with a smirk in her voice. “See that big baby parked out there in front of you?”

“I do,” Jack confirms.

“A little something from me to you. Take her and use her to your advantage. Who knows maybe she will even help you get to Gabe on time.”

“How long have I been out? Can I still make it?”

“Long enough but you can make it still.”

Jack is already straddling the bike. It comes alive under him, engines roaring like beasts hungry for blood and when it blasts off he nearly falls from the sheer force of the thrust. He’s still too weak to even sit upright, much less driving something like that but adrenaline kicks in and he seems to be catching his second wind, determined to get to his only goal – Gabriel.

“Thanks to this little buggie I can track them back now. I’ll send you their coordinates right away, _amigo_. Check the main screen.”

“Right,” he says and focuses on the road ahead, his pulse rifle has been forgotten on the backseat of his truck. He doesn’t spare a second’s thought for it.

Ana’s voice breaks through as soon as Sombra disconnects.

“Jack! I couldn’t get through to you! Dear, thank goodness you’re alive!”

It sounds like she’s speaking from millions miles away; Jack can barely distinguish the words.  

“We’re on their tail. Fareeha and Hana are following the car, but we had to abandon…. They still have Lena and they are threatening to kill her if we don’t play by their rules. I have them in my sights …and….they stop … I swear, I’ll get them.”

“How long have you been following them?”

“About half an hour. They’re heading away from….”

Jack can feel his breathing hitch as panic takes a hold of him again.

_Half an hour…_

“W-what about Jesse?” he asks, sounding desperate.

“Jesse… on his plan to intercept the ship with Lena. If…we’ll have more chances. It seems that their primary target was Gabriel but they are willing to keep Lena too to pull …. They also want to divert … and to separate …. To buy more time…Honestly, I don’t understand, Jack…”

“What?!”

“…only four of them in the car. Their plan…damn reckless! Gabriel he…killed the whole army of Talon. He could easily deal with them. Why wouldn’t he?? Why wouldn’t he do anything?!”

“Because he’s…” Jack bites his tongue, lets out a desperate angry growl instead, his bloodshot eyes searching the road, waiting to spot that damn black Cadillac.

_Fuck. Do they know? Do they really know?_

“Jack?”

“I’m heading out there, Ana,” he says. “You keep following them and wait for any opportunity. But don’t launch any attacks, be careful. And don’t hurt Gabriel!”  

“But…how are you going to catch up with them?” she asks.

Jack is speeding up.

“What are you doing, Jack?” Ana asks him.

“I’m using any chance I got, Ana,” he replies coldly.

“Please, don’t do anything reckless. You’ve been wounded.”

“Don’t try to stop me, soldier. This is personal.”

“Don’t I know about _‘personal’_ , Jack…don’t I know…”

Jack leaves the town behind in no time and races out onto the main highway. He flies so fast that the wind is howling in his ears, whispering disturbingly through his cracked visor. His heart is thudding in his chest and he’s choking on the harsh winter air tearing at his lungs each time he inhales. Yet he still feels like he is not getting there fast enough.

“Still there, _amigo_?”

Sombra is back online when he dives right into the oncoming traffic lane to outrun the line of carriers in his way.

“What you got?” he asks.

“I managed to hack them and I can hear everything that’s going on in the car right now. If you want I can connect you too.”

“Do it!”

“Fine then. In a moment. Before that I have to ask you something, _Jackie_.”

The way she calls him cuts straight to Jack’s heart and he grits his teeth.

“Is that your baby?”

“There’s just nothing I can keep from you, ain’t there?” he barks out.

“Things like that are hard to conceal. And it appears this gang knows about the baby too.”

Jack loses it. He draws in a shaky breath, fright flooding his heart and tears gathering in the corners of his eyes.

“I love this man with all my heart, Olivia,” he says, gripping the handles of the bike tighter because tears and blood are blinding him. “He’s all I’ve got, he’s my everything and if…if they do anything to him I won’t be able to live with myself…not this time…”

“Jesus, dude,” she replies after a long pause. “I prefer not to get involved in stuff like that. But you two helped me in the past and I’m willing to repay you.”

“Well...I…”

“You sure you really want to hear these stupid _hijos de puta_ talking to your man?”

“Yes.”

“You got it then. You’ll catch up with them in no time if you keep that speed up, _cariño_.”

She disconnects and at first Jack can’t hear anything but indistinct noises over his comm. Then there is a voice – the one he remembers from the parking lot.

_“You better stop struggling, Gabriel Reyes. The more you struggle, the tighter they grip you. They were built for this.”_

_“Think you clever?”_

Jack places two fingers on the comm when he hears Gabriel’s voice, trying to determine his state. Even though the quality of sound leaves much to be desired he can hear that Gabriel is panting, breathing shallowly despite how calm he is trying to appear before his captors.

_“Think you outwitted everyone with your little tricks, huh? That no one will come for me later?”_

_“I killed your man. That is a deal big enough to keep them tame for the time being. I’ve got to deliver you to my boss, that’s my job. All the consequences you are bringing with you later – it’s up to him to deal with…”_

Jack can hear Gabriel laugh. But the laughter is weak, almost nervous. A red dot is blinking on the screen of his bike – Sombra’s input on the enemy’s whereabouts. He’s getting close now. Jack pushes the acceleration arm and drives faster still, his surroundings merging into a single colorful line dotted here and there with headlights of the cars he’s skirting. One wrong move and - what a terrible way to die it might be…

 _“Your boss is one arrogant son of a bitch if he thinks he can kidnap me just like that,”_ Gabriel says.

_“I don’t think so. His plan might have been a bit of a rush but now it seems to me that he picked just the right moment for the deed. You doesn’t seem to be all that willing to resist. Where are your famous killing powers, Gabriel? All I can see is that you’re sick. Barely holding up. Is that really the Reaper my boss was talking about? If so I’m disappointed.”_

_“If even you’re disappointed. Why would he want me then?”_

_“Oh but don’t pretend you don’t know why. I think you know exactly why. He sees endless possibilities in you. And in that little secret you’re bearing.”_

There’s a sound of something cracking, breaking over the comm. Jack speeds up _._

_“Stop struggling, Gabriel.  You’re only making things worth for yourself. But I must admit I like that fear in your eyes now. Yes, that is exactly why I love my job so much. No wonder boss got an eye for you. How did you do that, huh? Your secret? I’m fascinated. Will you show me sometime?”_

_“Don’t you touch me you piece of shit…”_

The man laughs.

_“No more Morrison to save you now. No more Morrison sticking his finger in every pie. And your friends are too polite to shoot you together with us. What a feast. Incredible!...”_

“Jack,” Ana calls him again. “Jesse’s plan worked. They’ve rescued Lena. Our target no longer has an upper hand. We could hit them now. Just a bit – to damage the car. I’m sure Gabriel would survive that, he’s practically immortal…”

“Don’t! Don’t do anything you hear me? Don’t do anything that could cause him even the slightest harm.”

“Alright but…Can you tell why are you so afraid? He’s a professional, and I’m sure he would’ve done so himself!”

“The situation is different now, Ana,” Jack says. “Please, trust me and wait till I get there.”

He turns the comm off. His pulse is beating steadily, echoing through his head, his eyes now fixed on a tiny black dot lurking on the horizon. He’s going so fast he doesn’t see a thing except for that single dot.

“Damn that asshole,” he says, the bike’s engines roaring, blasting under him, so hot his armor starts to melt. “I ain’t dead yet. No one dares to kidnap my partner and get away that easily.”

Ana spots his hoverbike shooting along the highway at an incomprehensible speed from the roof of the building where she’s currently positioned. She knows it’s Jack instantly.

“What are you doing, Jack?” she yells into the comm but to no avail. Jack wouldn’t respond.

“You’re going to get yourself killed,” she exclaims helplessly, and zooms her rifle in on the Cadillac again.

“Ana! They’ve noticed him now,” Hana reports to her comm just when the Cadillac abruptly maneuvers to the right. “They are going off the main highway. They will try to shake him off.”

The dark dot vanishes from Jack’s narrow field of vision and it’s too late when he realizes that his target took the right turn and disappeared in the nearest grove, fleeing on to a country road.  He’s driving way too fast, doesn’t have enough time to maneuver through the line of traffic and take that same turn. Vaguely, he can hear sirens wailing in the distance behind him. He curses through gritted teeth, slows the bike down and swirls it around. Just how much time did he lose!

“We need to help him,” Fareeha says and Ana takes another aim at the car. “We need to do something! Me and Hana could block the road easily in such a place. Now might be our only chance, mother. Before they reach their destination. Who knows what these people might have in mind. I know Jack told you to wait for him but his command isn’t exactly what we might call rational now. It’s obvious, he’s going all alone.” 

“There’s something off about all of this, Fareeha. I know better than following Jack blindly, but don’t target the car. Let’s try that plan with road block instead. Be careful,” Ana says, steadying her hand.

“They’re too far now! I’m losing them,” she reports. “It’s all up to you.”

Jack is speeding up again, maneuvering now between the trees and careless passers-by walking idly along the country road. His hoverbike storms past them, leaving piles of dirty melted snow behind. He catches up with the Cadillac, overtakes it several times but that’s about all he can do. He has no idea how to stop the car, how to crash it without any lethal consequences. He could switch his comm back on, ask for help but he realizes that he’s too afraid to hear what might be going on inside the car right now.

Suddenly to his left he spots MEKA darting past him along the roadside.

“Hana?”

The MEKA launches its missiles somewhere ahead and Jack has time to figure out that Hana aims directly at a water tower ahead. He manages to slow down a little just when the huge rusty building swings and comes crashing down right across the road. The Cadillac brakes, swirls desperately and goes into a spin before it manages to recover from it and come to a stop right before the crash. 

Jack doesn’t wait till his bike stops completely, isn’t sure he actually _can_ stop it. He jumps off it instead, letting it skid on its side for a few more feet, until it comes to a pitiful halt buried halfway in the dirt. On wobbly legs Jack makes his way straight towards the cooling Cadillac, his boots slipping on the dirt. He draws his handgun out, his body trembling but his hand is surprisingly steady when he cocks the weapon.  

His mind seems to have been set on auto mode. He pries open the back door and takes three merciless shots at everyone who’s not Gabriel Reyes. He then aims his gun at the driver and kills the omnic off without a slightest hint of remorse on his face. For a good measure he shoots the human one three more times and then his mind seems to snap back out of it.

“Gabriel?” he whispers, panting heavily. There’s blood everywhere but he knows that his old soldier is used to it. He only hopes that none of it belongs to him.

“ _Gabe…,”_ seems to be the only word he remembers how to speak. Jack leans into the bloodied cabin, moves the bodies aside unceremoniously and fishes the keys out of the pocket of the dead man’s suit. Gabriel offers him his cuffed hands and Jack hurries to uncuff him, his own hands shaking mercilessly.

 “Can you get out?”

“You’ve been shot in the head, you stupid idiot,” Gabriel scolds him, but his voice is way too gentle. He takes a hold of Jack’s shoulders and clings to him. Weak. Barely standing upright while Jack helps him out of the car.

“Doesn’t matter,” Jack mutters and lets out a miserable sob, can’t help it. His lungs feel like someone’s emptied a whole jug of melted glass into them. “Doesn’t matter if they fucking killed me I’d still come for you.”

Gabriel’s weight against him is growing heavier and Jack has to summon all the strength he has left to support him.  

“Gabe?”

It’s still dark and suddenly Jack realizes that they’ve been surrounded by police cars, that there’s a copter hovering above them with reporters crowding in it, that Gabriel is losing consciousness in his arms and his own head is spinning from all the chasing and the blood loss.

“Jack?” he looks over his shoulder and sees Angela’s face, so beautiful among all that chaos, ceaseless noise and lights. “Jack, let me take care of you two now.”

Gabriel growls angrily at the copter and attempts to cover his face.

“Don’t let them,” he mutters. “Don’t let them see me like this.”

Jack shields him from their lights with his body and hands him over to Angela. Gabriel doesn’t seem to be able to stand on his own but she is strong enough to hold him upright.

“Jack?”

“You take good care of him, doc,” he says, pointing at her and taking a step back. “Make sure he’s safe.”

“What about you?” she asks, reaching out for him.

“Don’t worry about me. Please, Angela, promise you’ll get him to your clinic right away!”

“I will! I will.” 

Having secured her promise he nods and turns his back to them. A sole broad-shouldered figure in the blinding flashlights – he takes up the whole scene, once again bearing the brunt and facing the consequences. Just like he used to do in the past. And isn’t it Strike Commander Morrison’s true purpose? To be the one who always takes the hit in order to protect the others. The selfless one. That is who he has to be now. And so he steps onto the stage, peels his visor off and looks up, revealing his face for those lusting to blame and to label.

*** 

**At Angela’s clinic**

_How can this be? Is it…the Strike Commander of Overwatch?_

_“We’ve received sensational news this morning. It appears that the forgotten heroes of Overwatch are not dead after all. They are very much alive and have been carrying on with their operations on unofficial basis. The infamous vigilante known as Soldier 76 has revealed his identity as none other than Jack Morrison himself. The news shook the whole world and will surely leave a tremendous impact on the current state of things. First question we need answers to – does it mean that Jack Morrison of Overwatch was responsible for the fall of the great Akande Ogundimu also known as Doomfist: The Successor? Jack Morrison, who is currently in custody after the mysterious incident… ”_

“Could you turn that shit off, doc?” Jack asks as he makes his way through the lobby of Dr. Ziegler’s clinic. People are crowding around TV screens, watching in awe the unraveling of the seemingly forgotten old story.  Reports about Soldier 76 are blasting from everywhere around and seem to be the only topic of news and discussion.

A couple of minutes ago Angela met with Jack at the entrance to the clinic, as soon as he arrived there in what appeared to be the very police car which was supposed to take him to custody.

“What did you do, Jack?” she asks him, following him through the crowded lobby. She practically has to run after him to keep up with his stride.

“I did what I had to. To buy you some time.”

“I know but…weren’t you supposed to be in custody right now? The police will come soon and what are we going to…”

Jack turns to look at her over his shoulder and his gaze is so furious she has to slow down and look away.

“The only place I’m supposed to be right now – is here,” he says. “The rest just doesn’t matter.”  

“He’s still unconscious,” Angela contends, catching up with him again. “He needs rest.”

“Then I’ll need to be there when he wakes up.”

“Jack! What you need is medical attention and right now your presence will only make things worse for him. Jack, please! Listen to me!”

Finally he slows his pace down until, eventually, he stops somewhere in the middle of the hall with tall windows.

“You don’t even know where you’re going. You need to calm down for a second.”

He lands a fist against the wall and sighs heavily, his shoulders sulking. Angela dares a step closer and places a reassuring hand over his shoulder.

“He’s going to be alright, I personally promise you that. For now let’s take a look at your wound. You’ve been shot and you’re still bleeding.”

“It ain’t my blood.”

“Quit acting like a fool.”

“Alright,” he says at last. “Patch me up as fast as you can, doc. Then take me to him. As for the police, don’t worry, I’ve already pulled a few strings on my way here, they ain’t gonna bother us. All we need is to keep reporters away. We can’t let them know about what’s going on in here.”

Angela nods in silent agreement. Then she takes him by the hand and leads him to one of the patient’s rooms. She sits him down on the examination table, cleans and stitches his wound.

“It is a miracle that the bullet didn’t kill you,” she whispers while applying the stitches.

“Ain’t the first miracle in my line of work,” he responds sharply.

His nerves are still strung up, his rage is still there, like venom in his heart that’s been poked way too many times. Jack probably couldn’t explain it right now but it feels like the last straw. The last point he could possibly reach. 

Angela works fast but the wound seems endless – it goes deep into his hairline and will most likely leave yet another ugly scar. But he is used to those by now.

Brooding, he watches Angela as she steps to the sink and takes off her medical gloves. She wipes her forehead with the back of her hand and lets out a heavy sigh. Somehow, it softens Jack’s anger a little, makes him smile. She probably hasn’t slept at all and she’s been on Jack’s tail all this time. She’s done so much for him and all he does is taking it for granted.

“Thank you, Dr. Ziegler,” he mumbles awkwardly, lowering his head. “For keeping this whole mess in check.”

She looks at him over her shoulder and her lips stretch into a gentle smile.

“I’m always there for you,” she says. “And not just because it’s my duty. But thank you for acknowledging that, _Commander_.”

Jack grimaces at the word and she chuckles softly before walking back to him.

“Here, take those,” she says, handing two pills to him.

“What are they for?”

“They will calm your nerves a little and help with the pain.”

Jack watches the pills with suspicion.

“Oh, come on, Jack, I’m not going to sedate you. But if you want to see Reyes you’ve got to clear your thoughts a bit.”

He grumbles something inarticulate but accepts the pills.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you but couldn’t actually bring myself to in front of Gabriel,” he says.

“What is it?” she asks, inclining her head.

“Well, it might sound stupid but I don’t quite get it…the workings of it. I mean, of him getting pregnant. How did it even become possible? Physically, I mean…He’s a man he can’t get pregnant for all I know, dammit.”

“Gabriel can’t, you are right. But Reaper can because it is not a man exactly. And Reaper uses Gabriel’s body to carry the child. Just like that.”

“Just like that, huh? Well how does it think he’s supposed to give birth?”

“It depends. Either by killing Gabriel and taking over his body completely or by transforming him somehow. Maybe, like it did back in Venice. For all I know Reaper’s possibilities are limitless. You saw it yourself. The way he kills. And that’s why I am here to help. If you want I can send you his medical files, the research I did. You’ll see for yourself how much Gabriel changed.”

“Yes, please, do that. But he’s _the same_ , Angela”

Angela steps closer and cups Jack’s cheek, her touch soft and delicate. Jack raises his eyes to her.

“He’s the same,” he says again. For some reason, he _needs_ her to understand

“I know,” she nods, caressing his stubbled cheek. “And you played a great part in it. You helped him remember who Gabriel Reyes truly is.”

Jack lets out a long sigh, pondering her words.

“Sorry, doc, I…this is all so fucked up.”

“It’s okay, Jack. That’s just how our life has always been. Let’s go now, if you still want to see him.”

The pain. He didn’t even realize he was feeling it until the pills kick in. It disappears suddenly while Angela is leading him upstairs through the labyrinth of wards and offices. Jack gasps a little when the sensation of giant hammerlock around his temples eases off.  

“Feeling better?” she asks him.

“Yeah,” he breathes out. “Much better.”

She stops by one of the wards and gestures at the door.

“He’s here,” she says. “Go in, please. I’ll make sure no one bothers you.”

“We’ll need to get out of here soon,” Jack reminds her. “The place’s no longer safe.”

“Yes,” Angela agrees. “Of course, this will be our priority.”

Jack steps into a spacious ward, leaving Angela behind. Inside it’s rather dim and so very quiet, except for the cadenced beeping of various medical devices and screens that show two stable heart rates. Jack lets out a sigh of relief and walks closer to the bed where Gabriel is still sleeping. Angela told him that he lost consciousness as soon as they got him into the car and hasn’t woken up since. All that time he has been fighting Reaper, struggling not to turn. It drained him.

Gabriel looks pale but it’s probably the deceptive lightning, cool against his roughened features. Jack moves a chair closer to his bed, sits down into it and takes Gabriel’s hand.

“They just won’t ever leave us in peace, will they?” he says softly, caressing Gabriel’s hand with his thumb.

There’s that fury still boiling inside of him, now suppressed by the pills. But his mind is clear and, by Gabriel’s side at last, he has time to come up with a plan. He’s probably nourished this plan ever since the moment he stepped into the flashlights and revealed his identity. Now he only needs to come in terms with it and polish some details.        

About an hour later Gabriel stirs awake.

“Hey,” Jack greets him, smiling as soon as the hazel eyes open up and focus on him.

“Hey,” Gabriel responds soundlessly and then his eyes turn into scarlet flames, widen suddenly.

“The baby,” he asks, tossing and jerking himself upright. “How’s the baby?”

His pulse leaps dangerously and Jack hurries to rise up and lean down to him.

“It’s okay,” he says, planting a kiss to Gabriel’s forehead. “She’s fine, she’s fine.”

He points at the monitor showing the baby’s heart rate and Gabriel calms down instantly, going pliant in Jack’s embrace.

“Those bastards wanted her,” he utters, furrowing his eyebrows and turning his face towards Jack.

“Well, not anymore.”

“What happened, Jack?”

“I took care of them.”

“I remember that. What happened after?”

“I…kinda revealed my identity,” Jack admits, sitting down on the edge of Gabriel’s bed and scratching his chin thoughtfully.

Gabriel lets out a throaty chuckle.

“You stupid fool,” he says. “Why would you do that?!”

“Because I wanted to divert their attention away from you. How about that?” Jack replies, offended. “Otherwise you’d be the one all over the news. And I figured if it has to be someone – better be me.”

Gabriel’s gaze softens; a smile reappears on his face. He reaches out and caresses Jack’s cheek.

“I know, I know,” he says. Jack inclines his head towards the touch and closes his eyes. “Sometimes I don’t even believe you’re real. Don’t believe that life was kind enough to send me an angel like you. I’d probably be burning in hell right now if not for you, Jackie.” 

“Stop it,” Jack says with a foolish smile plastered across his face. “I’m just glad you’re fine.”

Gabriel’s gaze darkens and fills with concern as his fingers ghost over Jack’s wound.

“You are not though,” he says. Jack waves him off.

“Just a scratch. One more scar, nothing new about that.”

Gabriel shakes his head.

“I’d like to make sure that nothing like that ever happens to you again.”

The pleasant touch vanishes as Gabriel removes his hand. He shifts, sits up a little and turns his face away, wincing.

“You want some water?” Jack asks.

Gabriel nods.

Jack stands up at once, brings a glass of water for him and Gabriel gulps it down greedily.

“Thanks,” Gabriel says as Jack settles by his side again. “Hey, listen. There’s… something I need to tell you.”

“Okay.”

But Gabriel seems hesitant.

“I’m not sure how you are going to react to this,” he warns.

Jack frowns.

“What is it, Gabe?”

“I wasn’t completely honest with you all this time, Jackie,” Gabriel admits, lowering his eyes and staring at his hands.

“Oh… is that so…?”

Gabriel nods, takes a deep breath before he starts speaking.

“I promised Maximilien that I will hand you in to him in exchange for his cooperation against Akande. And he wasn’t going to make good friends with you, you know.  He wanted to get rid of you. He wanted to make you his favorite trophy. That’s why he’s after me now. That’s why I took you to him that day back in Venice. And that’s why I…was seeking you out in the first place. I didn’t know that things would…turn out the way they did between us.”

Jack is silent for a long while, still holding Gabriel’s hand, staring him down, searching his eyes.   

“You were putting us all in danger by keeping this secret, you know?” he says at last. “We could’ve avoided all this shit if we knew Maximilien was after you.”

“I know. I should’ve told you but I was afraid that telling you that would end everything. I didn’t want it to…. You can end it now if you think it’s best for all of us. I’m nothing but trouble…”  Gabriel’s voice trails off suddenly.

“Stop,” Jack tells him and Gabriel raises his gaze to him again. “It might change some perspectives but it’s not gonna end anything, you hear me? Let’s leave it in the past too and let’s leave it between the two of us. I want you to know that I ain’t gonna abandon you just because you made some deals that worked for the better in the end. I can’t say I approve your methods and I can’t say that I’m not hurt by what you’ve just told me. But you’re being honest with me for a change and that’s something I guess…”

“I would never kill you, Jackie, and I would never allow them to kill you. In that I’m honest completely.”

Jack nods, caressing Gabriel’s hand with his thumb and they go quiet, each of them lost in thought.    

“Why are we still in Angela’s clinic?” Gabriel asks him quietly when he’s sure that Jack isn’t going to say anything else on the previous subject.  “We shouldn’t stay here.”

“Relax. There’s half of our team nearby, we’re safe for now. We’ll head out together. Just take a few hours of rest before that.”

Gabriel seems to be content with the answer.

“Okay,” he says. “Will you stay with me?”

“Of course I will. Where else would I be?”

Gabriel shifts aside a little and lifts a corner of the blanket.

“You need those few hours of rest too and I’m not letting you spend them in a fucking chair,” he says, patting the space next to him.

Jack chuckles, realizing vaguely how exhausted he really is. He takes off his boots and lies down, scooting closer to Gabriel under the blanket, mindful of his freshly stitched bullet wound. He places his hand over Gabriel’s belly and whispers,

“Did they hurt you, baby? Thanks to Sombra I could hear everything he told you but I didn’t…”

“No, no they didn’t.”

Jack exhales, shifts closer and brings his lips up to Gabriel’s ear. Drowsiness takes over him so suddenly he can hardly control it. 

“Can you believe they launched a missile right into our place in the woods?”

“This can’t be!”

“They did.”

Jack kisses Gabriel’s cheek, kisses his cool lips when he turns to him to look him in the eye.

“That’s it, Gabe. That’s it for me,” he says, relishing Gabriel’s warmth beside him.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean fuck it all. I might sound like old and weary man right now, but…Say, if I asked you to quit…to quit for good and settle down with me, would you agree?”

There’s a long pause and in its quiet Jack can hear his own heartbeat. Gabriel’s gaze is stern and thoughtful. Then it softens.

“I would,” he replies. Jack’s heart flutters.

“Then I’m gonna make Overwatch great and powerful once again. I’m gonna bring it back to its full glory, to revive it, to extend it. So that all those fuckers will be scared shitless at the mere mention of it. With your help of course. What do you say to this?” 

Gabriel smiles warmly, the way Jack loves so much. The way he smiles sometimes for him only. The smile that always leaves Jack yearning to lean closer and to kiss each dimple on his stubbled cheeks.

“Doesn’t sound like much of a settling down plan to me.” 

Jack props himself up on one elbow, his eyes glued to Gabriel’s.

“We’ll do this to make sure that no one will dare to come after us again. To make sure we’ll leave something behind for those who will take over the organization in the future.” 

“You know. I might reconsider my answer though.”

Jack chuckles and quirks an eyebrow questioningly.  Gabriel shifts closer and pulls him back down until he’s snuggled in Jack’s embrace again.

“Because I’m gonna miss my shotguns real bad.” 

“You’ll have plenty of time to practice with those. I’ll personally be taking you out to the shooting range every Sunday morning.” 

Gabriel smirks in his arms, drinking in Jack’s words greedily. 

“Alright, baby,” he says. “Count me in.” 

They don’t say much more. Gabriel’s hand travels to Jack’s nape and starts massaging it gently in repetitive circular motions that send Jack straight into the state of blissful contentment. Excited as he is after the little secret agreement they’ve just made, his mind starts drifting away until he slips into a slumber. The dreams he sees though still dwell in the world of disturbing darkness. Imageless, but full of colors and sharp sounds, blistering, shooting through his head until they merge into hundreds of voices crying, wailing for help.

 _“No, no,”_ he mutters, covering his ears and clinging closer to the dark spot he sees somewhere in the periphery of his vision. It looks so much like that black Cadillac and it follows him ceaselessly until he’s being forced awake. He opens his eyes and discovers that his breathing is ragged, his forehead is burning and through his feverish daze he sees Gabriel’s concerned stare.

“Jack? Damn it, is it your nightmares again?” he whispers. “Tossing like that you’re gonna fall off the bed.”

Jack is silent, his heart pounding wildly, echoing in his head, sweat rolling down his temples. Gabriel wraps his arms around him protectively. He leans in and kisses Jack’s burning forehead, below the spot where searing pain is blooming once again. Jack buries his face in Gabriel’s chest and lets tears roll down his cheeks freely.   

“It’s okay, I’m here,” Gabriel whispers knowing exactly which words Jack needs to hear the most in moments like this. And soon Jack’s nightmare vanishes, last traces of it scurrying away from his mind. When he looks up he can see that familiar golden glow now enveloping not only Gabriel, but both of them.

“What are you doing?” he wonders when Gabriel carefully places his warm hand over Jack’s wound. Sharp pain pulsating there subsides at once and Jack lets out a sigh of relief.

“Healing you, it looks like,” Gabriel replies and in his loving embrace Jack is lulled back to sleep – guarded and comforted.

 

***

 

No one disturbs them until the early morning when Angela arranges one final examination to make sure they both are fit enough to endure the flight back to the headquarters. The team boards Jesse's ship and they head out to Egypt, ignoring persistent reporters that somehow manage to stay on their tail long enough, stalking them up until they make it half way across the Atlantic. The news all over the world is still all about Overwatch getting back together again. But despite this news, the atmosphere onboard the ship is rather quiet, detached and gloomy even. They are all silent as they are stepping into the next chapter of Overwatch history, turning the new page none of them really wanted to turn in the first place, but had to due to the pressing circumstances.

"Commander," Jesse tips his cowboy hat as Jack passes him by on his way to Reyes. He nods in response.

"Thank you, Jesse," he says with a brief smile. "For helping out and saving Lena."

"Just doing my job," Jesse responds. "You alright? One hell of a bullet you caught out there."

"I'll live."

"Guess it's time for me to start calling you a Commander again, huh?"

Jack shakes his head and chuckles bitterly.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. You can still call me Jack, I ain't gonna be mad."

 _For all I know you might be getting that honor in my place anytime soon_ , he thinks.

Jesse nods and gestures towards Gabriel.

"Got any idea what's up with that one?" he suddenly asks, narrowing his eyes.

Jack shrugs his shoulders and chances a brief glance at Gabriel resting motionlessly in his chair. He is staring at the cabin window, distant, his hands hidden in the pockets of his hoodie, covering the growing bump, his shoulders slumped and his head lowered as if he wants to be anywhere else but here. Jack rubs his neck and shuffles his foot uncertainly. He catches himself doing it at once though, clears his throat and hurries to pull himself together.

“Don't know what seems wrong to you?”

“Well, he never was much of a talker, but this is a whole new level of reticence. He wasn't like that when we worked on our latest mission together."

“I guess the latest incident had its effect on him,” Jack says.

“Doesn't it seem a bit odd to you?  This whole Gabriel getting kidnapped thing? I didn't know it was even possible. To kidnap a man like him. What should I say about the rest of us then...”

“Well, maybe you could write an article about that,” Jack replies rather curtly and walks away, his heart thudding in his chest. Just for how long will they be able to hide their secret? Seems like Jesse suspects something already and neither Jack nor Gabriel have come up with any reasonable explanation yet.

“How are you doing, baby?” he asks quietly as he takes his seat by Gabriel's side and buckles up. Gabriel jerks a little at the sound of Jack's voice, yanked back to reality from his obsessive self-contemplation.

"Damn uncomfortable," he admits, rolling his shoulders.

"They don't really suspect anything yet," Jack says.

"Ah, it's not only about that," Gabriel explains and throws a glance in the direction of Lena, who is also way too quiet and lost in thought, still not recovered completely after her own kidnapping accident. Jack follows his glance and then looks back into his eyes, frowning.

"She says she's doing okay but I know that she's not," Gabriel goes on. "It really bugs me how... I’m not used to being so vulnerable, Jack. Seems like everyone has been put to danger because of me. Because I can't fucking go Reaper no more."

"Don't put the blame on yourself, Gabe. That's what our job has always been. To put our life to danger, to take risks in order to protect people. We're soldiers. And we're all perfectly aware of the consequences that might follow some of the risky decisions we make. If all those people we saved started blaming themselves for our suffering the world wouldn't be the same."

"So you wanna say I'm a 'victim' now?" Gabriel inquires, his brow creasing.

"No, I'm just saying that there's a decision both of us have made. And these few months you'll need to stay safe, away from any danger. You are not a victim but just as you said you _are_ vulnerable. And even the strongest of us need saving sometimes. It's high time you accept this truth."

Gabriel turns away.

"What are we going to tell them when they find out?" he wonders.

"I don't know honestly," Jack says. "But we will figure something out. Together."

He lifts his gloveless hand and examines the ring on his finger, touching it lovingly with the tip of his calloused thumb.

“So glad I was wearing it,” he says. “Wouldn’t want it to vanish together with the cabin.”

“I’d buy you a new one,” Gabriel huffs, shaking his head. “Something more dignified for a man your age.”

“No, this one’s just too special,” Jack smiles, placing his hand back on the arm rest and glancing at his partner.

“What about all our stuff? Aren’t you gonna miss it? I sure as hell gonna miss the best half of my wardrobe,” Gabriel observes with a sigh.

“Seems to me you’ve got so many of those damn goth leather things you ain’t even gonna notice the loss. And what an opportunity to come up with something new. Something less extra maybe…?”

“Shut up. I know you secretly love all the leather, you kinky bastard. ”

“Ha-ha…well. I ain’t gonna argue with you on that one. When it comes to you I just can’t seem to help that kinky bastard in me.”

Gabriel's hand finds his, fingers brushing his knuckles before interlacing with his own.

He turns his face to Jack and Jack leans to him, planting a tender kiss to his lips, mindless of their team watching. Surely, they will understand, they have followed the two of them this far. They would understand even though they have no idea how Jack's heart flutters in his chest each time he kisses Gabriel, how deep the love he feels for him has grown during the course of the last few months, how deep it has rooted during the years of his absence, the years when Jack became absent from everything else in this world, died to it and has been revived again. And he has never felt more alive than he feels right now, with Gabriel’s healed hand clasped over his own, with Gabriel's lips ghosting over his skin and burning whispers of love into it.

"No matter what follows, I'm with you," he says again, squeezing Gabriel's hand. This earns him a pleased hum and the dearest crooked smile and, honestly, he deems those little achievements the greatest victory of his life.

 

***

 

Surprisingly, it doesn’t take too long for the Press to figure the new location out and in the course of the next few months the flow of reporters from all mainstream media arriving to Egypt becomes incessant. Surprisingly, all of them are getting exactly just what they were expecting to get - new headquarters, Overwatch growing and expanding its reach with every passing day. The new Overwatch is actively recruiting young soldiers, establishing various shadow organizations tied to the former Talon. It keeps open relationship with former Talon’s leaders in many matters; it is acting on its own, outside the law regulations and far beyond it.

The building itself is now armored to the teeth with long-range missile launchers, turrets and the latest hi tech military equipment. It seems impenetrable both from the outside and from the inside. It grows like a fortress, like an inaccessible castle.

The world is dying to know what caused that sudden rebirth of the mighty organization, what caused its unforeseen expansion to such unimaginable extent. Jack Morrison seems eager enough to provide food for the mass media, to tease them and even let them in on some details of internal security systems. He wants everyone to know that it's better not to mess with this place, with him. But one thing still remains a mystery - what is he doing all this for?? What is he trying to protect??

Newspapers’ headlines are screaming in lustful wonder, depicting the Strike Commander standing on top of the stairs, his brow creased, his gaze impenetrable and stern, thoughtful. He looks like a man determined and infected with some obsessive goal. Like a man confident in what he is doing. Every move he makes radiates threat and deadly danger. Even when it’s just him standing by the entrance and indulging in chain smoking with his old trusted friend Ana Amari.

The articles by Joel Morricone spring back to life and are all over the place – going in details about how different the organization has become, picturing it almost as a terrorist one now that it took over Talon and doesn't loath to meddle with criminal mind. The corrupted government takes great interest in it but doesn't seem to find any way to get inside of it no matter how hard they try. It seem that the place is impossible to hack, as if some unseen presence were constantly monitoring it, filtering the incoming information and all they can get is mysterious ‘ _Gotcha’_ messages. Best spying and hacking minds scratch their heads in wonder at how helpless they end up to be while the organization keeps making fools out of them. Overwatch fights for peace and for justice just like it used to but its ways has taken a much darker turn.

No one knows that every night Jack Morrison takes off that mask of contrived pretense and retreats into the very core, the very heart of his ‘fortress’. That there he finds the welcoming embrace of the one he is performing this entire charade for. And he would've done so much more if it needed to be - for Gabriel Reyes. He would've done so much more to make sure that nothing harms him and the life still growing inside of him ever again. To make sure that each time he wraps his arms about his changing form he is greeted with a content smile and the words _‘I love you’_. This is Jack Morrison's real and only objective and he's willing to do everything in his power to keep his little world safe. He's made his choice and Gabriel agreed to it. That's the only thing that matters to him.

"You've made the right choice,” Ana tells him one day when they're standing on the stairs, smoking together again and observing the ever present hordes of reporters. Ana is the only person so far who knows about Jack's plans to quit. Because he's just told her that. Gabriel's pregnancy still remains a secret somehow kept between the two them and Angela who performs her duty diligently and vigorously. Jack is sure that the secret won’t last for much longer but he's still not ready to make the announcement. Revealing his and Gabriel's plans of retirement already feels like a huge weight off his chest.

"I've made a mistake once," she goes on. "Choosing Overwatch over my family, over my daughter. I dedicated my whole life to it and...what for? I regret choices I made every day of my life, Jack. And I can only hope that you won't make this kind of a mistake too. You deserve happiness with Gabriel, you both deserve this retirement."

"Don't sound so gloomy, Ana. It ain't the end of the world for you. You've got Reinhardt and you can still patch things up between you and Fareeha. You're seeing each other every day, you're working together now. It's only a matter of time before things will start mending. And after all, you deserve retirement too."

"We'll see about that," she responds with a smile. “I wouldn't mind to get myself a little house somewhere by the sea though.”

"What are you chuckling about, young man?" she wonders, watching Jack's secretive smile and a sparkle in his eyes.

“Ah, it's nothing,” he says taking a drag on a cigarette and looking away, smile still tugging at the corners of his lips.

"It pleases me to see that you're happy, Jack," she says. "I know you're not telling me something but I really don't mind. Because I haven't seen you smile like that in ages. Hell, maybe - not ever. Because back when I met you for the first time you were just a scared farmer boy head over heels with Gabriel. You were always so restless, so full of ideas. Now you seem...at peace, like you've finally figured your life out. Like you belong. It's a beautiful change. Even though it came so late in your life."

"Thank you. It's never too late for you, Ana. Remember that too. We've all made mistakes."

"Sure," she nods. "My greatest mistake was addicting you to this shit."

She waves a cigarette in front of his nose.

"I'm gonna quit them as soon as we're done with this show."

"And when is that, Jack?"

He shrugs; the spark is back in his blue eyes.

"In a few months maybe when..."

"When?"

"When we're settled."

She laughs and shakes her head.

“Are you two planning to get properly married at last or what?”

"Something like that," he responds with a shy chuckle and that is as much open as he gets with her, lingering on the edge of revealing it all to her. Yes, he is happy, giddy even for the things that are to come. And who knows, maybe, somewhere along the way, a marriage might take place although he likes to believe that what they have is beyond such trivial formalities. Their life has already played a part of both the altar and the priest.

 

***

 

_"Hey, it's not fair! I don't even remember the last time I used a handgun. Don't be so damn good with it!"_

Just as Jack promised him he takes Gabriel to a shooting range in their headquarters almost every morning. He does everything in his power to not let Gabriel feel confined inside these walls, to not let him stagnate in his inner world and get bored. There's no doubt that Gabriel still goes through all of those moods from time to time and, although he is willing to put up with it for the time being, Jack doesn't seem to ever get tired of finding new ways to entertain him.

Shooting range seems to provide the most rewarding experience. Despite his developing delicate condition Gabriel is getting progressively hungry for his shotguns and for sharpening his skills with them. That urge to kill still sits deep under his skin and there's almost nothing he enjoys more than the ear-blistering sounds his deadly babies are making when they shred the training bots. He doesn't care much about aiming and enjoys the haughty way his guns deal with the targets. Those guns don’t care about rules that might exist here at this shooting range, much like Gabriel himself. He likes the feeling of their familiar heaviness in his hand, he likes how they complete him and he likes to wreak havoc with them each time Jack brings him here. It sends thrills down his spine nearly as intense as when Jack touches him there. And that is something he also is growing progressively hungry for. 

This day, however, is one of the few days that are an exception. It is one of the few days when he shows interest in actually practicing his aim, when he asks Jack to show him his own skills. 

Half of the training bots have already been dealt with and destroyed; Gabriel’s shotguns have been forgotten on the floor and now Jack is proudly demonstrating to him a single perfect hole in the very center of the black circle that he made with six flawless shots. Jack’s skill makes Gabriel itch with competitive spirit, he’s easily infected by it and by the way Jack's blue eyes are now glowing. His own eyes turn ablaze when Jack hands him his gun and offers to give it a try. But the fire in them subsides quickly when he misses the target almost entirely, barely grazing it at first, and then fires two more awkward shots that mark the outer ring. 

"You never been good at aiming anyway," Jack attempts to reassure him. "Never needed it to prove that you are one of the best soldiers in our ranks. How did they use to call you? A Living Shotgun?"

"Yeah, but I wanna be at least half as good as you are with this," Gabriel says, weighing Jack's handgun in his large hand. 

"I can teach you if you want. Pretty sure you'll get the hang of it again in no time. You just need to get used to it first. It ain't hard."

"Easy for you to say, _Mr. Perfect Aim_."

Jack lets out a chuckle and blushes, flattered.

"Well, Ana and Jesse do it better than me..."

"Oh stop it with your stupid shyness already. Better show me how you do it."

Gabriel takes aim at the target, narrows one eye and is about to shoot when Jack’s hand steadies his own, guides it aside a little as Jack steps closer to him, too close for it not to be called personal space invasion but Gabriel has nothing against it. He smirks slyly when Jack's arm sneaks around his waist and Jack's lips ghost over the skin of his neck. 

"Just lower your hand a little and relax it a bit, you don't have to hold on to it for dear life. It ain't heavy like your shotguns." 

"The recoil is just too light for me, I practically can't feel it. It's like I'm holding a toy or something instead of a real thing. It's a bit confusing."

Jack steadies Gabriel's hand, his other hand still resting possessively on Gabriel's lower back.

"You ain't used to it. There you are. Now - when you shoot, don't squeeze it too tight, go easy. Go on, give it a try."

Jack's hand is still holding his own when Gabriel pulls the trigger and this time he hits the bullseye just a couple of inches away from the very center.

"Nice," he admits, smiling.

"See? Ain't nothing you can't do."

"I might borrow this gun of yours until I am as good as you, baby," Gabriel states and takes aim again. This time his shot marks even closer to the center and Jack is, in fact, really impressed with how fast he is picking up the long forgotten skill. Impressed and turned on. He presses closer to Gabriel, inhales his scent.

"You smell so nice," he says, making Gabriel chuckle. 

"Come on, we aren't going to get much practicing done at this rate," he complains halfheartedly. 

"You mind?" Jack feels lightheaded and intoxicated by Gabriel's closeness. The effect the man has on him seems to never fade. 

Gabriel lowers his hand with the gun, tilts his head towards Jack.

"No," he replies shifting a little closer. He lets out a tiny throaty laugh. "You're really getting off on watching me shoot your gun, huh?"

Jack grounds his hips against Gabriel's side, licks the skin of his neck peeking out so seductively from under his hoodie. 

"How do you know?" he asks in a pretend wonder. 

"Well, your dick never lies, you better ask him," Gabriel replies slyly and Jack loves that cunning smile of his and the slight flush of his cheeks. 

Jack snakes his hands under Gabriel's hoodie, slides them forward until they lock around his now very prominent belly. Gabriel jolts a little in his embrace at the cool skin contact, then he moans and shivers, placing his own hand over Jack's instinctively. 

"Haven't touched you in two days and it already feels like ages," Jack whispers into Gabriel's ear, kissing it. "Damn promotional events. Can't wait for this shit to finally be over and done with." 

"Feels so nice, Jackie," Gabriel breathes out, trembling with pleasant sensations. "Your hands on it."

"I know," Jack caresses the tender skin, trails delicate patterns along it, relishing in how sensitive Gabriel has gotten there. He wants to undress him and shower him in kisses from head to toes, he wants to worship him like only Gabriel deserves until Gabriel is seized by the most blissful of orgasms. It's gotten so easy to give him one or two or even three with minimum efforts....

"Hey, Commanders,” Jesse clears his throat pointedly behind them. Jack looks back at him over his shoulder, his hands never leaving Gabriel.

"What is it?" 

"Well I'm sorry to interrupt your uh...practicing here, but there's a matter needs discussing right now."

"Is it about the debriefing? Later today, Jesse."

"Ain't about debriefing. It's quite urgent.  Everyone's already waiting upstairs."

Gabriel steps away from Jack a little, unloads the gun, turns the safety on and places the gun on the table. 

"Alright, we'll be in a minute, Jesse," he says.

 

***

 

Their entire Overwatch team is waiting for them in the conference room when they step in. All of them assembled together.  The sudden circumstance makes Jack uneasy and it’s obvious how uneasy it makes Gabriel who hasn’t been showing up at the meetings at all these days. Jack can see him clear his throat and plop down into a nearest chair. Gabriel hurries to adjust his loose black t-shirt and glances questioningly at him from under his thick eyebrows. 

"So, what's the matter?" Jack asks before occupying the chair at the head of the table. From here he can see that all the eyes in the room are glued to Gabriel and his uneasiness intensifies. 

"Did anything...go wrong with the latest mission or what?" he asks and the question sounds somewhat too harshly. 

"No, Commander, no," Jesse stands up and adjusts his hat before proceeding with his speech. He isn’t smoking his usual cigar and this little detail makes Jack grow wary. "The matter’s a bit personal actually."

Jack looks at Angela and frowns when she lowers her eyes to stare at the surface of the table. 

"Spit it out already," he demands, locking his hands in front of him to conceal how nervous he is getting. 

"Well I ain't much of an expert in matters like this," Jesse explains, rubbing the back of his neck and then making a helpless gesture with his hands. "So I sure hope you'll help me a bit along the way, Jack."

"There's something we've been discussing with the team ever since the day Lena and Gabriel got kidnapped," Ana adds in a gentle voice. "Personally, I don't mind you keeping your own secrets but we're all working together now, we are family. And I agree that's it's high time some secrets are revealed."

"No idea what you all are on about," Gabriel barks out, fumbling with the ring on his finger.

"Oh, please," Lena exclaims in pretense exasperation and folds her arms over her chest, smiling. 

"We ain't telling you that just on a hunch, you know, we've done some digging. Don't look at Angela this way, she didn’t tell us a thing." 

Jack's gaze sweeps over the company of his friends, passing them one by one and noting that none of them look angry or pissed off. Mostly they seem to be amused, cheerful. Torbjorn looks positively giddy, sitting on his turret and swaying gently from side to side. It makes things a bit easier but still Jack chances a worried glance at Gabriel who is very pale, preoccupied with studying his own hands. Beautiful too, his long inky hair brushed aside and behind his pierced ear. He's nearly glowing with how the pregnancy changed him, how truly alive it made him. It's difficult to keep something like that secret and Jack figures that his team put two and two together long time ago. They were just too polite to let the two of them know. 

"What kind of digging, Jesse?"

"Well, there was that curious medical record we found in the car you stopped. And I did some more successful interrogating of Maximilien people Gabriel here helped track down. Turns out they know a lot when you start asking questions the right way. Their interest in Gabriel is purely scientific it seems. I figured… if Talon had all the information on him … why would they need it again all of a sudden? I mean they made an entire army using his stolen medical data and such... No, it must have been something different. Those sudden changes in his health, Angela acting all sneaky. And so we figured...that ahhh...I mean all this leads to the conclusion that, well..."

"That you are expecting a child with Gabriel," Ana finishes for him. The entire assembly goes completely silent after that, the air in the room is charged with tension one can almost percept physically. Winston adjusts his glasses and doesn't seem to know where to focus his attention - on Jack or on Gabriel. Both look equally flustered.

Gabriel is still staring at his hands when Jack looks briefly at him. Jack sighs, feeling strangely numb and completely cornered now. 

"Well," he says, finding his voice with some amount of difficulty. "I kinda knew you'd figure it out sooner or later." 

"So it is true?!" Reinhardt exclaims in wonder.

"Yes!" Gabriel snaps suddenly. "Did you get what you wanted? Yes, dammit! I'm fucking pregnant!" 

With these words he gets up from the table abruptly, turns on his heels and storms out of the room, his head lowered and his hands clenched into fists.

The silence hangs for a while longer after he leaves.

"May we offer you our congratulations?" Ana inquires quietly and everybody nods approvingly, shifting in their chairs.

_“Yes, yes”_

_“We’re happy for the two of you.”_

_“Congratulations.”_

“We didn’t mean no offence here, Jack,” Jesse says, awkwardly landing back down into his chair. “Just needed to make things clear.”

"Thanks," Jack smiles briefly and nods, staring down and fumbling nervously with his own ring. "And no offense taken. I just..., I just hope you won't be prying Gabriel on the matter for the time being, okay?" 

They all nod in agreement.

"Well I guess that settles the matter then," Jesse says in conclusion, letting out a sigh of relief. 

"And don’t pry Angela much either," Jack addresses them. He gets up from the table too now, raising his eyes to look at them. "In case you’ll have any more questions, better ask me directly. I gotta go now. The meeting’s over." 

 

***

 

Jack finds Gabriel in their room, sitting dolefully on the edge of the bed with his back to the door.

"So? Did they have a good laugh?" he asks without turning to face Jack.

"Of course not!" Jack lets out an affectionate sigh and approaches him. He brushes Gabriel’s long hair aside gently before placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Why would you even think of them this way?”

"Don't know. Maybe because they haven't seen anything more ridiculous in their lives?"  Gabriel replies, his breath hitching suddenly.

Jack leans down to him and kisses his temple.

"They would never do such a thing, Gabe. I guess they figured out long time ago and accepted it. They just wanted to let us know. And I’m pretty convinced that they believe there ain’t nothing laughable about that."

Gabriel scoffs in reply, breathing out shakily and staring down at the floor, his hazel eyes still gleaming with mistrust and doubt.

"Hey," suddenly Jack cups Gabriel's chin, urging him to look up.

Gabriel blinks and his eyebrows move up his forehead in surprise. Jack is smiling and the smile is so contagious he can't help but smirk back.

"What is that?" he asks.

"The weather’s really nice today. Are you up for a little trip?"

Gabriel arches one eyebrow at him, suspicious now.

"A trip?? I haven't been out in ages and now you're suggesting a trip all of a sudden?!”

"Yes. Not gonna insist if you don’t want to though. Just wanted to show you something."

Gabriel looks him up and down once again for good measure before he replies,

"Fuck yeah! I'd love to get out of here."

"Then let's go," Jack gestures for him to follow and heads for the door. “C’mon.”

Gabriel rises from the bed hesitantly, looking around. He seems to have been taken aback by such unexpected invitation.

"Do I need to… take anything or are we just...?"

"You don't, you won't be needing a thing, just follow me."

“Okay.”

Together they walk along a corridor and step into an elevator at the end of it which proceeds to take them underground.

"Thought we were going on foot?" Gabriel says with a whiff of doubt in his voice.

"It's a bit too far from here to go on foot," Jack replies, that sweet smile still present on his face, he seems excited, almost giddy now.

“Are we sneaking out without anyone knowing?” Gabriel chuckles.

"Yeah, I’m kinda...stealing you from our headquarters right now."

"Is that so?" Gabriel smirks crookedly, narrowing his eyes and studying Jack's strange behavior with tender amusement.

"Will you let me?"

"I might. It depends."

The elevator stops and they walk out into a spacious garage. All sorts of vehicles are lined up here. Jack leads Gabriel past the rows of them until they reach the hover bike Sombra gifted him.

Gabriel lets out a long whistle of appreciation when they stop by it.

"Okay. You _can_ steal me on this one all you want, Jackie," he declares in a velvety voice, his eyes flaring up with excitement as he admires the bike.

"I figured you'd like it."

"Was it what you wanted to show me?" Gabriel asks, touching his fingers to the shiny panels.

"No, just the means to get to it," Jack replies skittishly.

Gabriel laughs.

"Whoa, _mi amor_! You got my attention now! Alright. Take me to wherever it is that makes you look like you’re high on something."

"Been waiting for the right moment to show it to you for a while. And I ain't high, merely excited!"

"Yeah, tell me about that," Gabriel smirks but his hazel eyes are sparkling with soft affection.

"Ready for a ride?"

"Fuck yes."

Jack hands him a helmet and puts on his own. Knowing how that beast of a bike works, he's made sure to take all the necessary precautions.

"We won't be going too fast though," he warns, adjusting the straps of the helmet and fastening it securely. "And don't try to change my mind about that."

"Yes, sir," Gabriel replies, pulling his helmet on.

Jack straddles the bike and soon Gabriel lands behind him, shifting close to him so that Jack can feel his every curve, can feel his belly pressing heavily against his lower back. The sensation sends shivers down his spine, his pulse accelerates, blood rushing downwards.

"Hold on tight," he says and Gabriel moves closer still, settling. His hands suddenly travel between Jack's legs, squeezing his inner thighs and making him twitch.

"Damn it, Gabe."

"Sorry, couldn't help it."

Jack laughs, blushing furiously under the helmet.

"Don't you do that while I'm trying to drive this thing, okay?"

Gabriel only hums innocently in reply and places his chin on Jack's shoulder.

"I'm ready," he says.

Jack's heart's still thudding in his chest when the doors to the garage slide open and they drive out towards the bright sunny day. On their way he makes sure that his comm is on and that they keep a moderate speed, at the same time paying heed to Gabriel behind him.

They steer onto the almost empty highway stretching for miles and miles ahead, towards the mountain chain and as Jack speeds up a little a feeling of complete freedom floods his chest.

They are flying like wind and the road unrolls in front of them - clear and definite.   Warm presence of Gabriel beside him makes him exhilarated, overwhelmed. He's so happy he might as well thrust his arms out wide and start singing to the world about that and only his cautiousness prevents him from doing so. Along the way he thinks that this is the happiest moment of his life, the pinnacle of it. A dream finally come true. A dream of freedom he never knew he needed that much. His eyes tear up at the realization and he's thankful for the helmet, wondering if Gabriel feels this way right now. Does he see it too? Right ahead of them - a road out from their shadows and straight into the light!

When they reach the curvy mountain road Gabriel grows restless behind him and soon Jack decides to stop at a small pull-over area near a cliff.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

Gabriel takes off his helmet, hair streaming flawlessly down his shoulders.

"Yes, I'm fine," he replies. "My legs just got a bit numb. Just need a few minutes."

"Alright," Jack gets off the bike after him, then walks over to the edge of the road and looks down. There's a town up ahead where the mountains end and beyond it, he can already see it, shining under the sun - the glorious sea. Jack gets lost in its shimmering splendor.

"It's beautiful out here," Gabriel observes after a while from where he stands leaning against the huge hover bike.

"It's gonna get even more beautiful further on up the road," Jack says. He turns his back to the glorious scene and makes his way back to Gabriel. The hazel eyes meet his own when he approaches and Gabriel accepts him with a gentle smile when Jack wraps his arms about him.

"What is it you are going to show me, hmm?" Gabriel inquires, tilting his head to steal a better look into Jack's piercing blue eyes.

"Everything," Jack says and kisses Gabriel's lips which part so eagerly for him. Gabriel breaks the kiss, inclines his head to the side, offering his neck for Jack to explore, rubbing his cheek against Jack's stubbled one.

"Jackie," he breathes out, needy. His hand travels down between Jack's legs again, rubbing him persistently through his military pants. Jack closes his eyes and groans, pushing into it.

"Gabe..." he whispers urgently, feeling his dick growing so hard he can barely stand, thankful that his pants are loose enough. "We're almost there."

They linger, taking their time, kissing for a little longer. Then they get back on the bike and drive out onto the main road again. Gabriel is quiet, moving ever so gently against Jack's back now and then and keeping him so aroused he nearly sees stars.

They pass through the town and take a turn to a side road, into the alley of dry trees and bushes, away from civilized world. Clouds of dust are rising behind them, birds scattering away cheerfully in front of them as they sink in and out of shadows. One more turn and they reach the blazing milky sea shimmering in the sun, and by the seaside - a house painted white with blue roof to match the skies.

Jack stops the bike and helps Gabriel off it. Gabriel's eyes are huge when he pulls his helmet off, transfixed on the house, his lips parted in an expression of surprise. 

"This is our new home," Jack announces proudly, barely able to contain himself, trembling all over with excitement, heart pounding heavily in his throat as he watches Gabriel's reaction.

"What??" Gabriel wonders in disbelief, taking few steps towards the house and stopping, helmet forgotten in his hand. His figure is dark and tiny against the whiteness of the unfolding scenery.

"This is where we're gonna live together. The three of us," Jack says and Gabriel looks back at him over his shoulder, that surprised expression still written all over his features and Jack can swear that it's the most beautiful sight he's ever laid his eyes upon.

"Did you buy it??" Gabriel asks at last, as soon as he's able to form coherent words.

Jack nods.

"Fucking hell! I'll be damned! Jack...when did you...how??"

"As soon as we got back to Egypt, after our talk in the hospital. We don't have our cabin no more so I figured we needed a proper place and...a new start…."

He doesn't have a chance to finish because Gabriel is suddenly next to him and all over him, lips pressing eagerly against his own, arms holding him so tight he can barely breathe.

"You did it all for me, huh?" Gabriel asks him breathlessly in between urgent kisses. "For me, Jackie?"

"Yes. It's also all furnished on the inside, ready for us to move in."

"Will you take me on the house tour, _cariño, mi amor, mi ángel_?" Gabriel asks huskily and Jack feels his cheeks flush from the tender ways he's being called. At this point he's barely refraining from doing something stupid like jumping from happiness all over the place or rushing straight into the sea. "I love you so much, _mi amor_ , I want to show you my love in every room of that house.”

Gabriel's fiery words make him weak in the knees. He doesn’t remember ever seeing him so excited and so _blissfully happy_.

"Of course I will. That's why I took you here. Do you like it?"

"I _love_ it! A house like that I ... it's been a dream of mine ever since I was just a boy."

"I didn't know that."

"Seems like you knew somehow, Jackie."

Jack takes him by the hand. "Wanna go in with me?"

"Sure!”

He leads him through the ornamental gate and along the alley, past the yet empty pool that earns Gabriel’s hum of approval.

"Nice place for a garden," he says, pointing at the empty space beside it.

"Yeah, I thought the same," Jack admits.

They step onto the porch and he fishes out the keys, his hands feel numb from all the excitement. He opens the door and lets Gabriel in first.

The smell of new and unlived-in hits his nose as soon as he steps inside after him. The desire to make this place their true home is as strong as ever. He's visited the house a couple of times to check how construction works were going but he's never seen the finished product yet and the perspective of doing it with his partner makes him as nervous as ever. But it feels _good_.

He watches Gabriel as he is venturing inside, looking around in a barely restrained awe. Jack follows in his steps and they find themselves in a spacious living room where Gabriel admires the quilted furniture covers and an exquisite fireplace.

"How much did it all cost you??" he wonders, peering at Jack and pointing at the exquisite design of the room.

"Does it really matter?" Jack asks, shrugging. "I'm not in debt or anything, don't worry, I could afford it."

After a pause he adds,

"I remember you saying you got used to luxury so I figured it would be nice to throw in a touch of it. For your eyes to rest."

Gabriel shakes his head and chuckles.

"Oh, Jack...," is all he says, biting his lower lip.

Holding hands, they proceed to the brightly lit kitchen, to the small winter garden overlooking the seaside and the pool and go up the vintage stairs. The sun flows freely through the large windows here, washing every surface and every corner in rose gold. The place is so different from Jack's dark and gloomy cabin in the woods that used to smell like dust and old. It truly feels like a new chapter in their lives, a new page they will fill out together. His head starts spinning at the mere thought of it, at the anticipation it evokes in him.

They pass through a guest room and find themselves in a small tidy office space and a library, already lined with some books Jack procured from the headquarters. The ones he personally read and enjoyed.

Gabriel leads him further. He pushes the next door open and steps into a room all painted pink with white smooth carpet covering the floor and an abundance of plush toys. He pauses for a second before slowly approaching the crib in the middle of the room and touching it with some uncertainty. Jack can see his roughened features soften, a small smile forming at the corners of his lips as he places one hand over his belly.

"This one's for her," Jack says, stepping closer.

"Thank you," Gabriel responds and Jack barely recognizes his voice with all the tenderness that threads through it. "I think she likes it too."

Jack kisses his shoulder and carefully closes the remaining inches of distance between them, now holding Gabriel in his arms.

"Can you feel?" he asks gently and Gabriel nods in response. He rocks the crib on instinct, to give it a try, letting the moment linger, marveling at the way sun spots are dancing over the walls, reflected from the musical mobile hanging over the crib.

"You make me so happy, Jackie," he says. "I could never imagine that one day I will have something like this in my life. That I would _want_ something like this. Damn it, I hate kids. I hate this trivial sappy stuff. But with you - it's different. With you I want it all."

"Cause that's our own trivial and our own sap," Jack says.

"Damn right you are."

After the nursery they walk right into the bedroom, decorated in rich claret-red and white tones, with huge balcony overlooking the sea and a huge bed to match it, covered with silk sheets. Gabriel lets out an enthusiastic “ _Oh!”_ at the sight. Jack blushes.

"Well, I kinda wanted to make your first acquaintance with it more romantic but..."

Gabriel pulls off his hoodie together with his shirt over his head hurriedly.

"To hell with romantic, let's _fuck_ ," he says, lying down on the red silk, basking in the feel of it against his skin, his eyes turning crimson.

That's as much Reaper as he shows these days but Jack would be lying if he said that the sight doesn't do things to him, _good things_. The sight of Gabriel's olive skin against the silk, the sight of his hair curling in gentle waves as it spreads all over the pillows, the sight of his thighs clad in black jeans, spreading so welcomingly for him. The sight of his swollen belly.

"Well…since you ask for it so nicely," he replies, crawling onto the bed after him.

It feels incredibly soft, so soft after the bunks and rigid mattresses he used to sleep on he feels like he's going to drown in all the sheets and pillows, squeaking softly under the weight of their bodies when Gabriel moves further up the bed a little, his hand guiding Jack by the shoulder.

"Damn, I'm not used to such soft beds," he laughs and Gabriel chuckles in response at his awkward fumbling.

"Won't be long before you wouldn't want to sleep on anything else," he says.

Jack kisses him fervently, headily, grabbing a handful of his hair and making him moan brokenly as his hands splay over his body and start roaming it.

"Thought they would grow a bit bigger," he observes coyly, squeezing Gabriel's pecks. Gabriel gasps at the sudden sharpness of pleasant thrill washing over him.

"Did you except I'd turn into a woman or what?" he smirks and raises one thick eyebrow. “Why am I surprised…knowing how much you’re into them.”

"Not as much as I’m into _you_. I'm just wondering…," Jack says, proceeding to play with Gabriel's sensitive nipples, making him throw his head back and outright whimper.

"They did though," Gabriel says, panting now. "A little bit."

The sight of him all burning and wanton from his mere touch makes Jack unbearably hard. He has to reach down to adjust himself in his pants.

"Just take them off already," Gabriel demands, watching him and licking his lips slowly. "And mine too. Too tight."

Jack does as he is told, eyes locked in with Gabriel's crimson ones, flamed up, blown with lust and wanting.

He pulls Gabriel's jeans off and does the same with his underwear, leaving him completely naked, admiring the way his heavy cock bobs up and stands to attention against the cool air, the tip of it leaking hungrily.

Jack doesn't remember when exactly he manages to pull his own pants off after that, seems like they just slid off him all on their own. He kneels between Gabriel's spread legs and licks the shiny head of his cock, cherishing the taste and basking in Gabriel’s gaze gleamed with eager anticipation before taking him in deeper and starting to work him the way he knows he enjoys the most. It doesn't take long before Gabriel's thighs jerk and he pulls Jack off forcefully with his hand to his throat.

"No," he says, panting, his cheeks flushed beautifully when Jack raises a questioning gaze to him. "No, _mi amor_ , fuck me. Fuck me, please."

"But..."

"Shut up and fuck me. _Por favor?_ ”

Jack can't say no to this.

He thinks he could come from the mere sight of how undone Gabriel is right now. Hell yeah, he wants to fuck him! It’s been a while since the last time he did and the thought alone makes his cock twitch eagerly.

"Talking your Spanish to me now, huh? Get on your side," he demands and Gabriel does so without hesitation, arching his back towards him and presenting his ass to him eagerly when Jack lies down beside him.

He reaches to the nightstand, opens the drawer but realizes that it’s empty.

“Damn it,” he groans. “I’ve got nothing.”

“Front pocket of my jeans,” Gabriel tells him impatiently.

“Really?” Jack wonders, sliding off the bed awkwardly to look for Gabriel’s jeans he’s tossed away so carelessly. “You’ve come prepared.”

“It’s been there since you left for the damn promotional event. I totally forgot about it. Be thankful.”

“Oh yeah?” Jack asks, procuring a tiny bottle of lube and showing it to Gabriel.  “You were missing me so much you carried this around with you?”

“Just in case,” Gabriel utters slowly, staring at Jack’s body, and his lips stretch into the sliest, most seductive smirk which urges Jack to hurry back to their bed.

He settles beside him again, opens the bottle and coats his fingers generously in it before placing them to Gabriel's entrance. He circles it several times and slides one finger in, eliciting a lewd moan from him. He plays with him, teases him before adding the second finger in and starting to stretch him properly. He's so engrossed in the process, in the tender warmth of Gabriel around his fingers that he doesn't notice how close he gets him until Gabriel props himself up on one elbow and looks over his shoulder at Jack's hand penetrating him. He lets out a shaky moan, his thighs trembling, his cheeks all flushed and his gaze half lidded.

"I'm gonna come right now if you don't stop," he mutters, reaching back to halt Jack's hand, three fingers deep in his ass.

He looks so beautifully wrecked that Jack considers keeping it up until he actually does but then he remembers his own cock twitching hungrily against Gabriel's lower back. He slides his fingers out, grabs Gabriel's meaty thigh and pushes it aside before sinking inside of him slowly, gently, minding his every breath until he takes him to the hilt. Gabriel gasps, clenching around him. Jack stays inside for several moments until Gabriel adjusts to him, until he starts moving impatiently around him. Jack grabs his hip then, steadies him and starts fucking into him at a languid lazy pace; enjoying each tiny moan he steals from his lips, the filthy sounds of their bodies moving against each other.

He pushes his thigh a bit further up, opening him up more and Gabriel turns to him, reaches out and pulls him down to get a sloppy kiss from him. It unhinges Jack further, he starts fucking him a bit rougher, getting closer, _so close_. Suddenly Gabriel calls his name and comes without even touching himself once. Jack reaches between his legs and pumps him through his orgasm, guides him through it, relishing in Gabriel's broken gasps and moans. The feeling of him clenching around his cock is just too much. He pulls out as gently as he can, bites Gabriel's shoulder, drunk on his smell, and starts jerking himself off. Gabriel reaches back, spreading his ass cheeks for him, opening up and presenting a sight that gets Jack off in a matter of seconds.

 _"Si, si,"_ he whispers as Jack pushes inside of him once more. "Give it to me."

Jack's vision nearly goes black when he comes, spilling inside Gabriel's body, biting his neck, his shoulder, and groaning lowly.

"You better keep it or we'll stain the sheets," he says breathlessly, then feeling like the last pervert on earth. But it's Gabriel. There can be nothing dirty or perverse about him. And he can't help it.

"Okay," Gabriel responds simply and turns to face him when he pulls out.

They are making out lazily, blissed out and spent in their afterglow, entangled together in their own happy world.

“Should be heading out soon,” Jack whispers at last against the tender skin of Gabriel’s neck.

“Let’s just wait until the sun goes down. It’s too hot outside,” Gabriel says, pressed close to Jack and Jack doesn’t want to be anywhere else but next to him ever again.

They stay in the comfort of each other’s arms until they doze off to the soothing sound of waves gently lapping against the seashore. This feels like entirely different dimension, another life and Jack just can't believe how easily they slip into it. It's as if their past didn't exist at all, it's as if they were born to this paradise and only scars on their skins are the reminder that there's some other world still existing, still waiting for them.

 _Not for long_ , Jack thinks, holding the other one close.

 

*** 

 

Ana contacts him in the evening, when they are driving back to the headquarters.

"Jack, where are you?" she asks.

"Is it something urgent?"

"No... You forgot to close the garage. The hoverbike is missing and what should I think?"

"Damn. You sound like my mom, Ana. I'm with Gabriel."

"I'm just a little bit concerned after the recent events. When will you be back? There's nothing urgent, I'm just checking."

"In an hour maybe, we're already on our way."

"Well, that’s reassuring."

There is _nothing urgent_ but when they return Lena invites them to the mess-hall and it turns out that their team has thrown a party for them. _‘Congratulations’_ banners and flashy balloons are hanging all over the place. Hana's MEKA has been decorated in glitter and tinsel by someone’s loving hand - shining like a Christmas tree. There’re two whole barrels of peanut butter brought here personally by Winston. There's a bar, a dance floor and even a damn karaoke organized by all of them. One of the tables is nearly breaking under the weight of the presents they prepared.

"Since there’s going to be an addition to us soon," Ana tells them after they’ve been properly surprised, met and greeted. "We thought it's a cause for some modest unofficial celebration. But you two have gone missing and we were really afraid that we’d have to start without you!"

And so they celebrate - together again like in the old days except now it's so much different. There're no pressure, no tension, no threat hanging over their heads and all the old grievances have been finally forgotten.

Jesse takes up the role of bartender and, while Gabriel doesn't drink, Jack might just have had a bit too much for the both of them. He realizes that a bit too late when, to the sounds of everyone’s approval and some sappy song that touches him a bit too close to the heart, he’s dragging Gabriel to the dance floor and Gabriel actually lets him. They start slow dancing and Jack is hot all over because someone’s put a feathery boa over his shoulders. He grumbles about it to Gabriel. The gorgeous man in his arms informs Jack that he is helplessly drunk, laughs at the way Jack sways and slurs something utterly stupid in his ear about how he plans to bring the world to Gabriel's knees. His laugh is open and contagious and Jack laughs together with him while trying to sing along to the song.

But Gabriel never lets go off Jack's hand and when Jack is done with his fiery drunken speech and singing he kisses his cheek, beard scratching Jack's skin, and rests his head on Jack's shoulder. From the corner of his eye Jack registers Reinhardt and Ana dancing too by their side and even Torbjörn is here with some woman Jack can't quite recognize. Then they are opening Gabriel's presents all together and after that it’s all blurry and his head clears a bit only when he’s being led by Gabriel – out off the mess-hall and into their room.

“And you said they would laugh at you," Jack teases him when they are taking shower together, getting ready to go to bed and call it a day. "I told you - they are still our family.”

"You might be right about that," Gabriel admits. "You sure you want to quit?"

"I am," Jack says, determined.

"Okay. I'll ask you again tomorrow though. That is - if you survive your hangover, old man."

 

***

 

For a while longer they work on the expanding of the new Overwatch. Jack oversees the organization in general and Gabriel operates in its shadows, just like he used to - now controlling the whole of former Talon. The pregnancy doesn't seem to hinder him in any way until the end, except for reducing his ‘reaper’ abilities to the minimum.

Gabriel remains under Angela's close supervision and as time passes he chooses to hand his Talon business over to Jesse almost entirely, keeping mostly to himself and dedicating the free time he gets to crafting and sewing. That little hobby he seems to have developed during the last few years amuses Jack and helps him discover new ways of being fond of him. As the organization grows Jack himself starts to step aside from his own responsibilities, still controlling everything but participating less and less in any active operations. Instead he checks reports of the new recruits’ team he is training now, and spends as much time with Gabriel as he can. And for the two of them time seems to have gone backwards a little instead of forward - they both look younger now and feel younger than ever.

When the pregnancy is coming to its end Angela offers them to choose a day for the operation. The inevitable fact of it makes them both nervous. They have been through many operations in the course of their lives - most of those operations they’ve been through together. But this one is something entirely different, something that is going to bring change into their lives - forever. Something one can’t be fully prepared to.

When the appointed day comes and they are waiting in Angela's office, sitting silently on the medical bed Gabriel is to be operated on – they are still not ready. Just holding on to each other’s hand for what feels like hours.

"It won't take long before you'll be together again,” Angela tells them with a reassuring smile when she steps in. "Spinal anesthesia, a moments work, and with our technologies it won't even leave a scar. Everything is in perfect order. There's nothing to be worried about."

 _Yeah, but it's all gonna be different after that_ , Jack thinks, planting a fond kiss to Gabriel forehead and stealing a glance at Angela, silently warning her to make everything in her powers to give Gabriel back to him safe and sound.

"It's gonna be fine, Jack, we've been through worse," Gabriel attempts to reassure him, caressing the arm wrapped protectively around him.

"Of course it's gonna be fine. I'll be right there waiting for you."

His eyes linger on Gabriel as he leaves the room, entrusting him entirely with Angela. Gabriel's gaze follows him, a little sad, hopeful and mysterious. Jack steps into the hall, feeling strangely detached, as if he’s been cut off from the entire world, the one where he needs to be the most right now. He sits down on a bench which happens to be way too small for him, rests his elbows on his knees, rubs his face and musses up his straw-colored hair. He waits. _He waits. He waits._ He loses track of everything going on around him except for the time he keeps checking on the clock in front of him.

It's firmly twenty minutes later when Ana joins him on the bench and shoves a cup of coffee into his hand. The operation started early and he hasn't had any breakfast that day. Belatedly, he realizes how badly he needed that coffee.

"Thank you," he says, turning his attention to Ana and attempting a smile. It doesn't work out.

"Nervous?" she asks. She rubs her knees as if she’s cold and smiles warmly at him.

"Damn right I am," he replies, sipping his coffee.

"Do you mind if I keep you company, Jack?" she asks him quietly and he shakes his head.

Reinhardt comes over a couple of times. He brings some sweets from a vending machine. Torbjörn stops by as well, attempting to dispel the tense atmosphere with good-natured humour and jokes about how many times _he_ had to be in the same kind of a situation. Someone else from the team is present but Jack doesn't quite notice who exactly until he is aware that he's alone again with his loyal friend Ana by his side and he hears baby’s cry in a distance. In the room where he left Gabriel. He straightens up on the uncomfortable bench so abruptly that the joints in his back make a startling popping sound.

He stares at Ana and she mutters _‘I’m so happy for you’_ soundlessly before reaching for him and enclosing him into the warmest embrace. He wraps his arms about her uncertainly and then laughs in relief.

"When I first held Fareeha in my arms," she tells him, swiping tears from her cheeks. "My world turned upside down. It was such a miracle. The best feeling in my life. So you better be ready for what's to come, Jack."

"I don't think I am," he says. “I don't think I ever truly realized..."

Angela shows up from the medical ward and Jack jumps to his feet.

"Is he okay?" he yells a bit too loud and Angela has to calm him down with a smooth gesture of her hands.

"He's fine, Jack, and the baby's fine too. The operation went even better than I expected. Gabriel is...recovering very fast. But he might still experience the effects of anesthesia so be gentle with him. Don't act so overwhelmed."

Jack nods; his own body feels numb, arms hanging awkwardly at his sides.

"I hope there were no _reaper_ complications?" he asks.

"There weren't any."

She invites him to step inside and Jack hesitates for a moment, shifting his weight from one foot to the other before going.

He doesn't remember how his feet carried him towards the bed where Gabriel is lying, holding their baby bundled up in a pink swaddle. He looks as vulnerable as ever, but content and so handsome Jack's breath hitches. Next moment he's aware of he's leaning down to him and kissing his cool lips.

"How are you feeling, Gabe? Are you okay?" he asks, his voice threaded with concern. Gabriel nods and barely glances at Jack, turning his attention to the baby again.

"Yes, I'm fine," he says. "Look at her, Jackie."

Jack shifts his eyes to the baby girl and Gabriel removes the corner of the swaddle for him to see her better. She opens her eyes and they are so blue it's striking, make Jack gasp in surprise. She obviously inherited her skin and hair from Gabriel but those blues, those blues are so large and clear even Jack's know no comparison.

"I'll be damned. She's so beautiful!" he breathes out, smiling widely. Gabriel's calloused thumb caresses her rosy cheek, so tenderly it awes Jack. These hands that knew so much death and gunfire, that could kill and used to bear claws. That man who was the Death himself - now holding the baby and rocking her so tenderly, so lovingly, like she's the most fragile, most precious thing in the world. And she surely is!

"Wanna hold her?" Gabriel asks suddenly, looking up at Jack and there's pure happiness reflected in his large hazel eyes.

"Of course I do," Jack replies, sniffling, only now aware that he's been goddamn crying all this time. Gabriel hands him their baby girl and she is so light in Jack’s arms he is afraid to make any sudden moves, he feels too big to be holding something so tiny.

"My God...," is all he's able to say, eyes glued to his daughter and now he knows exactly what Ana meant by her words.

"Hello, baby girl," he says, laughing. "I'm your Daddy and I love you very much."

He leans in and kisses her cheek; she wrinkles her nose and yawns in response.

"Oh. I think she's taken after you," he says. "Already bored with me."

Gabriel smiles so warmly Jack thinks his heart is about to burst out of his chest.

"She's just tired. Been too long in this world without sleep. And very quiet. Hardly let out any sound at all since she was born."

"It's a perfect daughter, then. How would you like to name her?"

"How about _Ynez_? Agnes?"

"Agnes?"

"Yeah. It means 'pure'. Seems relevant since she kind of…purified me."

"I think it's a beautiful name. Very suiting for her."

Jack sits down on the edge of the bed, by Gabriel side. Loving hands meet him halfway.

"Thank you, Gabriel," he says.

"What for?" Gabriel chuckles.

"For coming back to my life," Jack says, nodding, sniffling again. "For giving me all this. I don’t believe I deserve it."

"Damn it, man," Gabriel's hands caress him gently. "Of course you deserve all of this. There's been so much dark in your life. There's gotta be some light in it too."

"We haven't dealt with the dark though. It's still out there, getting stronger," Jack says, rocking Agnes in his arms.

"We've done a great deal. We've done our part. That's as much as we can give to the world. Maybe now it's high time we have something for ourselves too. We've paid our price."

"Then all I want is to be with you and baby Agnes," Jack says, looking at Gabriel lovingly, his eyes all shiny. He has no idea how beautiful he is in this moment.

"She's very much like you," Gabriel says, smiling. "She's going to be just as pretty when she grows up."

This makes Jack laugh.

"Oh, come on!" he waves Gabriel off, rubs his eyes and looks down at his daughter again, marveling at her beauty.

A polite coughing comes from the direction of the door. Ana is standing there, leaning against the frame.

"May I come in?" she asks.

"Ana! Of course you can!" Gabriel exclaims.

As she steps inside they can see all of their team peeking around the edge of the doorframe behind her.

"The rest of you can come visit a little bit later! Please! Don't crowd the hall!" Angela's exasperated voice follows and immediately all of them retreat.

"How are you feeling, Gabriel?"

“Better than ever," he replies and Ana leans down to kiss him on the forehead.

" _Goodness gracious_ ," she utters in her native language when Jack lets her hold Agnes in her arms. "She is a _beauty_!"

“Ain’t she?” Jack says proudly. Ana nods, rocking Agnes gently in her arms, unable to take her eyes off her.

"I'm so happy for the two of you!” she says at last. “And I'm happy that we are back together again. As friends, as a family. I'm happy all the rest is in the past now. Let's make sure it stays there."

“Wouldn’t be here without you, Ana,” Jack says. “Thank you.”

“And thank you for the flowers,” Gabriel adds.

“The flowers?” Ana asks hesitantly.

Gabriel points at a huge bunch of flowers in a vase on the table.

“I didn’t bring those,” she says.

“Well who did then?”

Jack approaches the table and takes a closer look. There’s an ancient stuffed bear sitting by the vase. It has Overwatch symbol on it. He remembers that bear. He smiles. A little note is attached to its ear. Jack opens it and reads it.

_Say hi to the little one. This is Arturito, my lucky bear. I hope they will make great friends._

_PS He is not wired, I promise._

 

***

 

The seaside is basking in quiet honey gold of the setting sun. It can be seen by the line of horizon now, melting into the sea - ringed with a gentle rosy glow. Jack parks the hover bike by his house. He kills the engine and turns his face towards the loving sunlight - letting it kiss his bronzed skin. He feels rested, awake, full of strength, he feels like he’s in perfect harmony with the world around him at last. Love nests in his heart – deep and tender - for his own little world. It flutters, it throbs at the idea that _someone_ is waiting for him in that house.

He gets off the bike and unzips his jacket - it's getting too hot now that the early spring has come to these places. The nature starts to change together with the tide and the air is charged with a mysterious, magical anticipation.

He listens to the whispers of the waves rolling across the beach, the soft swishing of sea shells as tide waves rise and fall in their endless dance. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He can sense it - the salty smell of the sea, of freshness, of freedom. The smell of being truly _alive._

_Is this all theirs now? Do they really have it? This place? Together?_

He thinks he’ll never get used to the idea.

He makes his way around the bike and towards the porch. He opens the door and steps inside soundlessly. It’s quiet, only particles of golden light are dancing in the sun. Gabriel is probably upstairs, in their room. Jack walks past the kitchen and starts making his way up but slows down suddenly, holds his breath and goes still, hand clasped tightly around a banister. He can hear Gabriel, talking quietly. He tunes in to the sound of his voice until he can deduce that he's talking to Agnes. He probably shouldn't be eavesdropping like that but Jack just can't help it now that he’s here.

"...- but now it's a different time. Things have changed and the world belongs to you now, baby. Yes, this whole world will be yours and yours alone. Doesn't matter which path you'll choose. You're a miracle, my girl, you are my savior. Papi has done so many bad things, made so many bad decisions in his life because he wanted to change the world for the better. He did it with good intentions and he regrets it nevertheless. Because things never turn out the way you want them to. No. They never do. It's so scary, baby, down there. In the dark. Don't you ever turn to that darkness. Don't you ever do what I did. What your Daddy did. I don't know how we managed to mend it. Maybe we still haven't. _I don't know_. But we have each other now. And we have _you_. I hope you’ll never have to know darkness. Not for a second in your life. _May you show me the way, baby, may you show me the way..."_

Jack steps onto the balcony, making his presence known. Gabriel is sitting in a rocking chair, swinging gently back and forth and cradling Agnes lovingly in his arms. The unruly strands of his short-cropped hair are curling endearingly over his forehead. She's watching him attentively, so very quiet, all bundled up in a soft golden glow. As if she understands each word he's saying to her, each word he’s confessing so openly, pulling it right out of his heart like old deep-rooted thorns. He almost never talks about that fear, not even to Jack. But Jack knows it’s still there anyway because he _knows_ it too. The fear of losing it all – to the darkness. He doesn't remember how he made his way up the stairs, all he's aware of is that there's a lump in his throat and that his heart if overflowing with love at the sight of his dearest ones, to the point where he almost can’t stand it. He means to say something but chooses to stay silent, afraid to spoil the tender moment.

When Gabriel senses his presence he turns his face towards Jack, lifts his soft hazel eyes up to him - the sun is reflected in the glorious pools of them and in Jack’s - the sea tide - almost as blue as Agnes' eyes. Gabriel smiles and the smile is warmer than the softest rays of spring.

_Grant me…_

Jack closes the distance between them and reaches out yearningly, touching his fingers to Gabriel’s cheek. His love is blossoming like a field of chamomiles when Gabriel tilts his head into the touch and then turns it slightly to kiss Jack’s fingers.

… _your love_.

“Home sweet home," Gabriel says and Jack chuckles, nodding.

 Yes. Yes. He's home at last.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


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